My Films of the Year 2013

Looking back on 2013, it was a year of underwhelming blockbusters, ambitious follies, strong female led dramas, a return to black and white, great smaller independent films and fascinating documentaries. 

Below I've selected my ten favourite films of the year, not necessarily what might be considered the "best" films of the year. I've tried to make my selections based purely on my own personal enjoyment or the emotional impact they had on me, but I hope you'll enjoy watching them too. As always, any feedback is, of course, welcome! 

(Disclaimer! - U.S. films of the year lists may include "American Hustle", "12 Years a Slave", "Her" and "Inside LLewyn Davis". However none of these were released in the UK in 2013, so aren't featured on this list. Also with so many films coming out towards the end of the year, there's a few I missed over the festive period that I preferably would have seen before writing my list. These films included "All is Lost" and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" amongst others)

10. Cloud Atlas

Finding a film to finish off my list proved difficult, with many options on a fairly level pegging, but I've gone for "Cloud Atlas" for its incredible ambition. 

The Wachowskis and Tom Tykwer's adaptation of David Mitchell's sprawling novel (which I'm afraid I've yet to read) works incredibly well considering it has to weave back and forth between multiple storylines and characters spanning over hundreds of years. It's visually striking throughout, which you'd expect from this directorial team-up, but I wasn't expecting it to provoke such a strong emotional response from me (I may have shed a tear or two at times). A lot of credit it for this must go to the actors, but I feel the real star is the score, which pulls at the heart strings and binds the often disparate narratives together (as it should, being central to many of the individual storylines within the film).

But let's deal with the elephant in the room. The makeup is pretty ridiculous and your enjoyment of the movie hinges purely on being able to get over this. I struggled for quite some time with the myriad makeovers involved in allowing the central actors to portray so many different characters throughout time. However, I eventually I came to accept this and really enjoyed the film so my advice is to give it a chance.

9. Upstream Color

"Upstream Color" represents the triumphant return of director Shane Carruth, nine years after the release of his critically acclaimed time travel procedural, "Primer".  Rather surprisingly, "Upstream Color" eschews the scientific pragmatism of "Primer" and finds itself somewhere more spiritual, like a Terence Malick directed sci-fi romance.

The opening of the film is extremely unsettling, scary in a "Synedoche New York" kind of way, as a series of mysterious experiments ruin the life of a young woman. This opening section is one of the best of the year, beautifully shot and brilliantly engaging as we're drawn into the mystery. We then witness the woman attempting to piece her life back together, developing an unorthodox romance with a fellow victim whilst striving to find some reason for their ordeal.

I loved the first half of "Upstream Color" and it seemed to be hurtling up my favourite films list, however I found the last third of the film a little unsatisfying. Caruth's "Primer" prided itself on its detailed look at time travel, but "Upstream Color", with its more elusive Malick-like approach, leaves the exact details hanging in the air. This would usually appeal to me, but I don't think it quite works here. Despite this, I actually prefer Caruth's sophomore effort to "Primer" finding it far more emotive and aesthetically developed. 

As a final note, my other main criticism, I imagine, is quite personal. A large amount of the second half of the film requires you to be very emotionally attached to a group of pigs, which while mostly effective, can also come across as unintentionally amusing...  

8. Jodorowsky's Dune

A documentary detailing Alejandro Jodorowsky's ultimately doomed cinematic version of "Dune", this film is an inspiring look at an ambitious and highly creative project, even if the risk averse attitude of the film industry can leave you slightly depressed by the end.

Jodorowsky, the excitable psychedelic director, is a magnetic presence throughout the movie as he details his vision of a film that he claims would have transcended any previous cinematic experience. His narrative is enriched with enlightening interviews and breathtaking artwork, but I'd happily watch the visionary director speak passionately about his work for hours without any further embellishment. His energy seemingly undiminished at 84, it's heartbreaking to see the pain caused by the project's collapse. His hand-picked team of collaborators all individually went on to receive great acclaim, with many central to the success of the original "Alien", so it's easy to see why he felt so let down by its failure to go into full production. 

This is a fascinating look at a lost film of magnificent ambition and bravery, a collaboration of creative minds that intended to show us a completely new universe. We'll sadly never know if it would have reached these heights, or whether the sight of Mick Jagger acting alongside Salvador Dali in a psychadelic sci-fi epic would have been inspired or insane (or, most likely, both).

As a massive fan of Jodorowsky's masterpieces "El Topo" and "The Holy Mountain" this was bound to appeal to me, but I feel anyone with an interest in the film making process or science fiction will enjoy this documentary.

7. Zero Dark Thirty

The curse of the early release date has hit "Zero Dark Thirty" I'm afraid, as back in January I would have placed this far higher. 

I really should have found time for a second viewing in the last few months, as my memories of this procedural thriller that details the hunt for Osama Bin Laden have slipped from my mind as the year has progressed. However, I recall being highly impressed by Kathryn Bigelow's film's balanced storytelling and lack of sentimentality. I never found it promoted or justified torture as the media furore around the time of its release claimed, it purely aimed to detail how their objective was achieved as closely to the truth as possible (whilst allowing freedom for creative license). 

"Zero Dark Thirty" is essentially the opposite of a Michael Bay action film; smart, detailed and restrained. Rousing, jingoistic patriotism is for the most part absent and in its place we are shown patriotism through the dedication of the many intelligence agents striving to bring Bin Laden to some kind of justice. To Director Bigelow's credit, the film maintains a tense tone throughout the investigation, culminating in an action-packed final siege that is both exciting yet easy to follow (a rarity in post Bourne-action films).

Bigelow's storytelling is matched by a great cast and an inspired choice of leading lady. Jessica Chastain is superb in the central role, utterly believable throughout, offering a determined yet relatable performance (without the need for fluffy back story). The rest of the cast are also excellent, with Jason Clarke in particular providing a nuanced performance in some challenging scenes. 

6. Frances Ha

Noah Baumbach co-writes and directs this black and white "dramedy", which along with its New York setting, inevitably has a touch of classic Woody Allen about it. This film is no throwback, however, and brings verve and life to the perennial problems of balancing career ambitions, friendships and relationships. 

The ridiculously lovable Greta Gerwig is key to the film and dominates the movie with her clumsy charm.  She co-writes with the director and plays the titular Frances, a failing dancer facing multiple crossroads in both her personal and professional lives. We watch her as she endeavours to find her place in the adult world through a series of funny, often embarrassing, set pieces that capture small, yet defining moments in her life. 

"Frances Ha" will strike a nerve with anyone who finds themselves in their late 20's with their lives not quite going to plan. It encapsulates perfectly that feeling of being left behind as friends and colleagues mature and move onwards and upwards. In Frances' case, this is predominantly illustrated through her relationship with her flatmate Sophie, whose flourishing publishing career and increasingly serious relationship with her boyfriend, sets her at odds with Frances' laid back, student-like lifestyle. How this shift in status quo affects their friendship and other relationships is key to what makes this such a fun but engrossing watch. 



5. Short Term 12

Director Destin Cretton has crafted a great all rounder in "Short Term 12". Funny, dramatic and emotional, his assured direction and great cast create an immersive story that makes you feel part of their world.

Drawing on his past experience working in a foster care home, Cretton builds a narrative that explores the problems of both the young people and the staff to which their care is entrusted. He handles his young cast incredibly well, with all the young actors giving honest and touching performances, particularly Keith Stanfield and Kaitlyn Dever as two of the most troubled youths.

Despite the strength of the youngsters' stories, the main narrative thrust comes through the character exploration of the troubled supervising carer, Grace, played with great subtlety and talent by Brie Larsson. Her performance slips easily from assured charm to wild fury, remaining completely captivating throughout. To be honest, I find it baffling that she's not already a much bigger star. This surely must be the film to lead her to stardom.

Much the same can be said of the actor who delivers my favourite performance of the film. Playing Grace's co-worker and boyfriend, John Gallagher Jr. is funny and effortlessly likeable, in a way that reminds me of a young Paul Rudd. The chemistry between these two actors is the key ingredient in making this touching film so effective. It's a cliché, but this is truly the kind of film that will make you laugh and cry.

4. The Act of Killing

A film oddity that packs an emotional punch, "The Act of Killing" is one of the strangest and most unsettling cinematic experiences of the year. Director Joshua Oppenheimer has found a truly unique way of bringing attention to the horrific acts of death squads operating on the behalf of the Indonesian military after a military coup back in 1965.

It is thought that they killed more than a million alleged communists, ethnic Chinese and intellectuals in under a year, yet they are treated like heroes. They have been allowed to write their own history, justifying the need for their atrocities, with no need for regret. Oppenheimer plays on the vanity of these former death squad leaders, or "gangsters" as they call themselves, to cleverly force them into confronting the horror of their actions.

Using their love of American cinema against them, he convinces former death squad leaders to recreate their 1965 killings for prosperity. Buoyed by the possibility of forever capturing their achievements through the medium they love, they enthusiastically throw themselves into creating cinematic versions of their past deeds, including "comedy" drag queen scenes and musical numbers to lighten the tone.

At first, they seem completely unaware of how atrocious their actions were, giddily dancing and singing on the site of a mass killing, but slowly, as they reenact more and more of the blood shed, now crucially also having to play the role of victims to create the scenes, doubts start to creep in. This progression is incredibly powerful, bringing some catharsis to the viewer for sitting through the long uncomfortable minutes that precede it. 

Full of bizarre visuals, twisted morality and enlightening interviews, this is a true one off that has to be seen.   

3. Much Ado About Nothing

For many years I argued that Shakespeare is nearly always best left to live theatrical productions. Although there are rare successes (and admittedly some stories like "Romeo and Juliet" sit very easily in the film world), few translate well to the big screen, especially when updated to a more modern era. Coriolanus tried gainfully a few years ago, but failed, in my opinion, despite director Ralph Fiennes' brilliant performance. So it takes a special film to make Shakespeare work on the big screen for me and Joss Whedon has managed just that here. 

His "Much Ado About Nothing" has an effortless quality that makes it a delight to watch. Filmed in just 12 days in black and white at his home in Santa Monica, L.A, he brings us the classic love story through a group of partying 1950's socialites without any tonal jarring. The narrative moves briskly and is always easy to follow, mainly due to a fantastic cast whose excellence elevates the film.

They manage to make light of the bard's antiquated language, speaking the lines as if it came as naturally as breathing. This is the key for me, as one of the major problems for me when watching Shakespeare is often that the too obvious enthusiasm of the actors involved detracts from the narrative. There seems an extra glint in their eyes, a roll of the tongue when delivering lines and the constant hint of a smile that comes from performing Shakespeare, almost like they're enjoying it too much. This is not to be found here, with the actors using a light natural delivery that carries the story forward with ease, with characters in natural conversation. 

The whole cast is excellent, with special mention going to the charming Alexis Denisof, hilarious Nathan Fillion, stoic Agent Coulson Clark Gregg and newcomer Jillian Morgese, who Whedon discovered as an extra whilst filming "The Avengers". Amy Acker as Beatrice is the stand-out star for me though, whose sharp delivery and quick wit entertain throughout.

From TV action adventure, to superhero blockbusters, to black and white low budget Shakespeare adaptations, Whedon has proved he is the king of the ensemble cast.

2. In a World...

At number two we find a small, but perfectly formed movie. Lake Bell's directorial debut left me with a smile on my face throughout, with her oddball cast of characters bringing consistent laughs in a film overflowing with charm.
It might seem odd to have an offbeat comedy in such a lofty position when I've placed heavy-hitters like "The Act of Killing" lower on the list, but it's so enjoyable I had to give it its due. 

"In a World..." opens with an ode to the titular line, as it heralds the beginning of countless movie trailers. However, we soon learn that the voice behind these lines has passed away and a brand new voice will be needed... 

Bell writes, directs and stars in a "dramedy" that shines a light on this little explored aspect of the film making process. Bell plays a struggling voice-over artist striving to make a big breakthrough in a male dominated industry. Her father, himself a legendary voice-over artist, is dismissive of her ambitions and instead throws his considerable weight behind his protege, played with a smug arrogance that only Ken Marino can bring.

This relatively straightforward premise is enriched with family drama, heartbreak, gender politics and some genuinely touching moments. Bell directs her script with great pacing and comedy timing, making the most of her fantastic cast who are note perfect throughout. In the central role, Bell leads the charge with a performance of awkward charm that eschews vanity to make the most of her brilliant physical comedy. With this great cast chemistry, the laugh count is higher you might expect and I doubt you'll find a more rounded comedy this year.

"In a World..." is an excellent showreel for Lake Bell's talents as a writer, director and performer and I eagerly await her future work.

(It also has some great little cameos, so look out for them.) 



1. Gravity

In the opening of the film we are told "Life in space is impossible" and we soon find out why in this cinematic force of nature conjured by director Alfonso Cuaron ("Children of Men"). 

I had to go for Gravity as my number one, as no other film this year, or any recent year, has kept me so immersed and on the edge of my seat. I remained tense and engaged throughout, overwhelmed by the intense visuals and score. This is a film made to be seen on the big screen, even justifying the use of 3D as part of the immersion. This is the closest most of us will come to being in outer space, and after seeing this, probably the closest we'd want to be.

Gravity encapsulates the intense and harsh cruelty of space, using it like a horror movie uses an unstoppable serial killer. Although the beleaguered astronauts find moments of solace and calm, you know it's only a matter of time before gravity draws back the barrage of lethal space debris to torture them again. The score echoes this horror-film-like quality, with long sections of quiet, building menacingly as it slowly ratchets up the tension until it reaches full blown audio mayhem for the action set pieces. Subtle it's not, but it's certainly effective in spreading dread amongst the audience.

The film is also incredibly beautiful from beginning to end, with memorable images strewn throughout its running time, notably the air lock womb scene (you'll know it when you see it, it lingers a little too long just to make sure you've got the idea).

Like most films though, it does have its faults. As I hinted above, it sometimes lays the symbolic imagery on a bit thick and I'm not a fan of the fake-out scene, which jarred terribly with me. Many also point to its scientific inaccuracies, which if the film gave you time to think about them (which I don't feel it does), are pretty glaring. However, the main criticism has to be aimed at the dialogue, which it has to be said, can be pretty terrible. Clunky back stories are developed over the characters' radios, that in all honesty weren't really necessary and could have derailed many films.

Thankfully Cuaron has selected the perfect antidote through his casting of George Clooney and, more surprisingly, Sandra Bullock. Clooney's warm soothing voice could sell nearly any script and Bullock's tough portrayal of Doctor Ryan Stone makes you believe in her slightly contrived back story. With a cast this small you have to get the right actors and Bullock's selection as a grieving, emotionally detached mother is pretty perfect. She seems the perfect age to play this character too, all of the actresses linked with the role before she claimed it (Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, even Angelina Jolie) would not have conveyed the required experience to play an astronaut as well as her. There's also an unexpected muscular physicality that she brings to the role.

Alfonso Cuaron has created something unique with "Gravity". It's simultaneously a small personal story, a tense thriller, a monster-less horror movie, an inspirational survival story and a big action packed Hollywood blockbuster. It's a film that's been seven years in the making, with Cuaron having to wait for technology to catch up with his vision so he could fully implement his project. Looking at the results, it was worth the wait. 

I'd like to add one caveat. I imagine the power of "Gravity" will be much diminished when screened at home, as the film is almost like a ride or experience. It'll be interesting to see how effective it is without the bombast of the cinema, but I would hope it will still hold up. 

Worthy Mentions

Not quite on the main list...

Alpha Papa - This is how to translate a TV sitcom to film; don't stray too far from what made the original show so great. It felt like a long episode of "I'm Alan Partridge" and was all the better for it.
Stories We Tell - Sarah Polley investigates hidden family secrets 

Django Unchained - I love westerns and this an ambitious and entertaining entry, but I'm still struggling with the jarring tonal glitches Tarantino has insisted on since the Kill Bills. 
Star Trek Into Darkness - It may not have made a lot of sense, but its great cast and brisk pace made this one of the most enjoyable films of the year.
Despicable Me 2 - Consistently funny whilst maintaining a lot of heart, 
Captain Phillips - Incredibly high on tension, my only complaint is a lack of character development to really make me feel for those involved. Still pretty great though.
Robot and Frank - It was on last year's list, but maybe should have been counted as a 2013 film as I saw it at a preview.
The Double - I was impressed by Richard Ayoade's follow up to "Submarine" when I saw a preview screening at Brighton's CINECITY film festival, however, it's official release date isn't until well into next year, so I've excluded it from this year's list.

Worth a Watch

Films worth a look -

Pacific Rim, This is the End, Behind the Candelabra, Before Midnight, Stoker, Les Miserables, Thor: The Dark World, The Great Beauty, Philomena, Blue Jasmine, A Field in England, Nebraska, About Time

Disappointments

Man of Steel - Not my vision of Superman, too brutal and angsty. The collateral damage and murdering did not sit well with me. On the plus side, great casting and I liked the updated costume.
Only God Forgives - Nicolas Winding Refn teams up with Ryan Gosling again, but unlike Drive, the style completely overwhelms the substance. 
World War Z - A disappointing adaptation. It jettisons everything that makes the book so great.
The World's End - It get's going about half way through, but doesn't reach the heights of the previous Cornetto films.
Iron Man 3 - Entertaining, but my problem with the film was.... IT MADE NO SENSE.
Like Someone in Love - For such an acclaimed director as Kiarostami, this felt quite minor.
Trance -  Probably the best opening twenty minutes of the year, but the pace is soon lost in the messy plot.
The Place Beyond the Pines - I really enjoyed the initial section involving Gosling's stunt motorcyclist, but its ambition to span through generations of the family involved caused the film to become over-long and lose its early momentum.
To The Wonder - A  tiresome self-parody by Malick. 
Lincoln - Too long for its own good, I also felt part of the film was missing. The soldiers introduced in the opening scenes would have been a fantastic way of showing how Lincoln's stubbornness, whilst justified, lead to more deaths through the extension of the war.

Probably Not Worth a Watch

World War Z
Gangster Squad

The ones that got away...
In an ideal world, I would have seen these too -

Monsters University, Evil Dead, G.I Joe Retaliation, Fast and Furious 6, The Purge, Mud, Europa Report, Pain and Gain, The Bling Ring, No, Beyond the Hills, Good Vibrations, Spring Breakers, 
A Touch of Sin, The Selfish Giant, Norte, The End of History, Stranger by the Lake, The Hunt, Rush, Filth, What Richard Did, We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wikileaks, The Impossible, Caesar Must Die, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Great Gatsby, Wrong, All is Lost

Hope you enjoyed reading my breakdown, Happy New Year!

2012 Update
The ones I caught up with that I missed last year...

Safety Not Guaranteed, Lawless, Compliance, Berberian Sound Studio, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, Silver Linings Playbook, Damsels in Distress, Ruby Sparks

The ones I didn't...

Sinister, Anna Karenina, The Campaign,  Resident Evil: Retribution, Iron Sky, Frankenweenie, Ill Manors, "I, Anna", Wrong, This is Not a Film, The Imposter, Bernie, The Kid with a Bike, Margin Call,  Rise of the Guardians

The ones I didn't see despite owning the DVD or being able to to stream them (so I'll hopefully watch them soon)...
Sound of My Voice, Your Sister's Sister, Alps, Haywire, Monsieur Lazhar, The Bourne Legacy and The Hunt.

Last Years Top Eleven

12. Life of Pi

11. Amour

10. Room 237

09. The Raid

08. Seven Psychopaths

07. Killing Them Softly

06. Martha Marcy May Marlene

05. 21 Jump Street

04. Robot and Frank

03. Moonrise Kingdom

02. The Master

01. Avenger Assemble

2013 Oscar Predictions: Was I Right?

The 85th Academy Awards ceremony had enough surprises to throw off my predictions but mainly panned out as expected. I'll see how those predictions went below, but first I thought I'd run through some thoughts on the other awards.

Despite enjoying the film, I was a little surprised to see "Brave" take the best animated feature. As one of Pixar's relatively weaker efforts, I thought it might open the door for "Wreck it Ralph" or "ParaNorman" but Pixar held strong. They also took the award for animated short with "Paperman", which I feel was a very worthy winner for it's combination of traditional 2D and 3D techniques. 

It was great to see "Amour" take the best foreign language prize as it was one of my favourites from last year, although it's a shame this success was not followed with an award for its lead actress Emmanuele Riva.

Roger Deakins' lack of award recognition was also a shame. A great cinematographer responsible for "No Country for Old Men" and "The Shawshank Redemption" amongst many other beautiful looking movies, he has now been nominated ten times without winning. His work on "Skyfall" lost out to Claudio Miranda's "Life of Pi", which was worthy winner none the less. 

Now on to the results of my predictions for the major awards -

Best Picture

Which Nominee Will Win: Argo (Correct)

Which Nominee Should Win: Zero Dark Thirty

What Should Have Won: The Master

As expected Argo took the prize. As I said in my predictions, I'm not sure time will be as kind to it as the Academy, but still a very good film. Congratulations Mr Affleck, and great beard.

Best Director

Which Nominee Will Win: Steven Spielberg (Lincoln) (Wrong)

Which Nominee Should Win: Ang Lee (The Life of Pi) (Correct, kind of)

Who Should Have Won: Joss Whedon (The Avengers)

Unexpectedly the Academy agreed with me and overlooked Steven Spielberg to go with Ang Lee as best director. He's been rewarded to successfully adapting a challenging novel, so I feel he's a very worthy winner.

Best Actor in a Leading Role
Which Nominee Will Win: Daniel Day Lewis (Lincoln) (Correct)
Which Nominee Should Win: Joaquin Phoenix (The Master)
Who Should Have Won: Joaquin Phoenix (The Master)
Daniel Day Lewis took best actor for the third time and deserved the accolade for his complete immersion in the role of Abraham Lincoln. Still, I think Phoenix would have won in any year that he wasn't up against Daniel Day Lewis.

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Which Nominee Will Win: Emmanuele Riva (Amour) (Wrong, it was Jennifer Lawrence)
Which Nominee Should Win:Emmanuele Riva (Amour)

Who Should Have Won: Emmanuele Riva (Amour) I completely misjudged this one, over estimating Hollywood's interest in foreign language films. The ceremony even took place on her 86th birthday, but Emmanuele Riva lost out to the youngest challenger for best actress, Jennifer Lawrence, who is sixty four years younger at just twenty two.  I have to admit "Silver Linings Playbook" was the only major Oscar challenger that I hadn't seen, so it's not surprising I didn't call this one.

Best Actor In a Supporting Role

Which Nominee Will Win: Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln) (Wrong, it was Christoph Waltz)

Which Nominee Should Win: Phillip Seymour Hoffman (The Master)

Who Should Have Won: Phillip Seymour Hoffman (The Master)

I was way off again here, with the prize going to Christoph Waltz in "Django Unchained". Waltz was excellent and a worthy winner, although I feel it was a less impressive performance than Seymour Hoffman's.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Which Nominee Will Win: Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables) (Correct)

Which Nominee Should Win: Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)

Who Should Have Won: Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)

As expected Hathaway took the best supporting Oscar, which I feel she deserved.

Correct Prediction: 3 out of 6 (Four, if I let myself count Ang Li)

Not too shabby, but room for improvement...

2013 Oscar Predictions (and what should have won)

I'll try and keep this brief as my Films of 2012 ran a bit long, but here are my predictions for Sunday's upcoming 85th Academy Awards.  

I've written which of the nominees I think will win, which I think should win and also what I feel should win regardless of whether they were nominated or not.

I've kept to the headline categories, skipping Best Foreign Langauge Film, Best Documentary Feature and Best Animated Feature Film this year, as I haven't seen enough of the nominated movies. However for the record I would say "Amour" and "Holy Motors" were the best foreign language films I saw last year, whilst "ParaNorman" was my favourite animated feature.  I was terrible when it came to watching documentaries this year, but I hear it was scandalous that "The Impostor" was not nominated. 

Anyway, here are my predictions...

Best Picture

Which Nominee Will Win: Argo

Which Nominee Should Win: Zero Dark Thirty

What Should Have Won: The Master

I was astonished to find "The Master" was not even nominated.  It's a remarkable picture unlike anything else you'd see last year, but I think it paid for it's ambiguity with the Academy. "Argo" was an enjoyable, well-crafted thriller, but in ten years time, we'll be talking about "The Master" and the incredibly well balanced "Zero Dark Thirty" instead.

Best Director

Which Nominee Will Win: Steven Spielberg (Lincoln)

Which Nominee Should Win: Ang Lee (The Life of Pi)

Who Should Have Won: Joss Whedon (The Avengers)

Paul Thomas Anderson would be a very worthy winner for "The Master", but I've gone for Joss Whedon. Perhaps a surprising choice (unless you've read my Film's of 2012 blog post) but the skill required to create a film of this magnitude is staggering. Whedon managed to bring great performances out of his large ensemble cast, while creating an exciting action film with brilliant technical effects. Any director who can bring together so many different aspects has to be a master of his craft. For a similar reason, I went with Ang Lee from the nominated list as he balances so many different elements within an adaptation of a difficult novel. 

Best Actor in a Leading Role

Which Nominee Will Win: Daniel Day Lewis (Lincoln)
Which Nominee Should Win: Joaquin Phoenix (The Master)
Who Should Have Won: Joaquin Phoenix (The Master)
Daniel Day Lewis is utterly convincing as Lincoln, completely inhabiting the role as always, but Phoenix is the most magnetic screen presence of the year. His Freddie Quell is fascinating to watch and I couldn't imagine any other actor fulfilling this role in such a way.

Best Actress in a Leading Role

Which Nominee Will Win: Emmanuele Riva (Amour)

Which Nominee Should Win:Emmanuele Riva (Amour)

Who Should Have Won: Emmanuele Riva (Amour)

Emmanuele Riva is brilliant in her role as a woman dealing with the effects of a debilitating stroke, so I can't imagine anyone else will win. My next choice would be Jessica Chastain in "Zero Dark Thirty" as she so artfully creates a fully formed performance as Maya, despite the film offering very little back story to her character.

Best Actor In a Supporting Role

Which Nominee Will Win: Tommy Lee Jones (Lincoln)

Which Nominee Should Win: Phillip Seymour Hoffman (The Master)

Who Should Have Won: Phillip Seymour Hoffman (The Master)

Much like Joaquin Phoenix, Seymour Hoffman dominates his role in "The Master" with aplomb. He manages to create a fragile but domineering character with charm and magnetism.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Which Nominee Will Win: Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)

Which Nominee Should Win: Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)

Who Should Have Won: Anne Hathaway (Les Misérables)

I wrestled with this one a bit as Amy Adams is great in "The Master" and plays a more constant role throughout the film.  However Hathaway's performance in "Les Misérables" is so emotive that after her (spoiler) early exit from the film, it loses it's way and lacks the emotional resonance that it found in her short appearance.  

Films of the Year 2012

 

This year saw the release of some great movies, just not the ones I was expecting. My highly anticipated films often let me down (mostly due to my own high expectations), but thankfully there was plenty of quality to fill the void.  Quite a few of the titles on the list came as a complete surprise to me - at least three of the movie on my list I originally wasn't even going to bother watching.

As usual, my decisions have not been made particularly objectively, just judged in terms of my own personal enjoyment or the emotional impact they had on me. Any feedback is of course welcome, even if you feel the need to ridicule my choices... 

So, in a very loose order here's the list -
(Disclaimer! - U.S. films of the year lists may include Django Unchained, Zero Dark Thirty, The Sessions, This is 40, Lincoln, Cloud Atlas, Wreck it Ralph and Les Miserables. However none of these were released in the UK in 2012, so aren't featured on this list. The need to delay these films for so long after their U.S release seems crazy to me, but ah well, what can you do)

Top 12 for 2012

12. Life of Pi

"Life of Pi" was a film that I had little interest in when I first heard about it. I'd been told great things about the novel, but the concept seemed better left to the written word and the trailer failed to grab me. However, great reviews piqued my curiosity, so I gave it a try and I'm glad I did. While I don't think this is a great film throughout, it culminates brilliantly enhancing the preceding bulk of the movie. It offers a very interesting look at both religious faith and atheism that I feel both groups can read into in their own way and gain some appreciation.  It's also stunning visually, with the best use of 3D I saw this year, which is all the more impressive considering that a large chunk of the film involves just one actor (the convincing Suraj Sharma) and a CG tiger on a boat.

However, as a note of caution, this is the film on the list I'd seen most recently and I think it's better to decide on your favourites once you've had time to mull them over for a bit.  Maybe I'll think "Life of Pi" is just as good in six months time, but there's a chance I won't and I'll regret leaving out another of my favourites. I watched "Killer Joe" the week I wrote this list and was tempted to include that too, but excluded it for that very reason.

11. Amour

The most emotionally involving film I saw all year, they'll be few people who don't shed a tear during it's running time. The film has a quiet personal quality, with many raw emotionally difficult scenes. Set only within the walls of an elderly married couple's home, it depicts the difficulties they encounter as they struggle with the effect of dementia on their relationship.  Importantly, rather than tricking the audience into feeling for the characters by using techniques like an overly manipulative soundtrack, director Michael Haneke uses a stripped back approach that relies on the brilliance of the actors.  This creates a real, personal and intimate portrayal that is hugely effective.  

10. Room 237

Room 237 is a fascinating look at the conspiracy theories that surround Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining". Fans of the film describe in detail the hidden meanings they've found layered within the movie and offer a wealth of evidence to support their views.  Varying from plausible to crazy, the documentary cuts back and forth between these different readings of the movie and manages to be highly convincing throughout.  Whether any or all of the theorists are right, which is highly doubtful, it highlights Kubrick's genius and immense attention to detail and breaths new life into re-watching "The Shining" again and again. 

9. The Raid

Easily the action film of the year, with fight sequences that are the best I can remember in a long time.  Director Gareth Evans manages to create a highly tense but frenetic tone that sets your heart pounding and doesn't let up until the very end.  The film follows an Indonesian S.W.A.T. team who become trapped within a tower block controlled by the druglord they have been sent to bring down.  Every punch and kick are felt, with brilliant set pieces punctuating the martial arts mayhem. The story may not be that original, but taken as a piece of breathtaking action spectacle it's hard to beat.

8. Seven Psychopaths

Much like McDonagh's previous film "In Bruges", "Seven Psychopaths" is another example of his mastery of balancing conflicting tones to create memorable atypical crime films. The movie combines humour, violence and existential soul-searching to great effect, with brilliant performances from one of the best ensemble casts of the year. As usual Sam Rockwell steals the limelight, this time as an unstable dog-knapper, but Christopher Walken runs him extremely close. Going into too much detail about the plot would ruin the surprising twists and turns, so I'll leave it at that.

7. Killing Them Softly 

Much like "Life of Pi", this film properly clicked with me in the final minutes and it has my favourite ending to any film this year (it's wonderfully blunt).  Some might find the political overtones too overt and they are constant throughout the film, but I can't say it bothered me particularly and I felt it gave the story more weight. What you get alongside the politicking is great set pieces involving a range of very different criminals. The film introduces us to a pair of inept thieves played by Scoot McNairy (also impressive in Argo) and Ben Mendelsohn (Animal Kingdom) who's amateur efforts bring them to the attention of Brad Pitt's professional killer. 

Pitt uses his weary assuredness to great affect in the film, especially in some very memorable scenes with James Gandolfini's drunken hitman. Many of the best scenes are dialogue heavy discussions, but the film also delivers some of the most brutal violence I've seen in a long time.  It's not gory or excessive, just a crunching reality to it that makes you feel every strike and shot.  It's hard to watch, but violence should be, and it steers away from glamourising these acts of aggression.  

6. Marcy Martha May Marlene

Unfortunately "Marcy Martha May Marlene" has suffered the fate of many early releases in that it's the least fresh in my mind, having seen it around a year ago. It perhaps should be higher, as I was incredibly impressed by the movie, but recent films fresher in my mind are proving hard to dislodge. Despite this, the story and characters linger with you long after you leave the cinema, reflecting the effect of the film's fictional cult on Elizabeth Olsen's central character. 

Olsen is highly impressive throughout, reflecting the many different sides of her character as we see her both within the cult and afterwards when she has rejoined her family.  It's astounding that she wasn't at least nominated for an Academy Award and the same can be said of John Hawkes cult leader. His mix of malice and kindness creates a sense of unease whenever he's present on screen, something I think few actors could pull off so subtly  Praise must also go to the director Sean Durkin who has made a beautiful, dreamlike film, whilst also maintaining a feeling of edgy danger and paranoia throughout. 

5. 21 Jump Street

I can't believe I've placed it so high, but even after multiple viewings, there are few films that I've enjoyed this year as much as "21 Jump Street".  It perhaps shouldn't come as such a surprise, as it's from the same directorial team that created the highly underrated "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs." They bring their brilliant pacing, vibrant visual flair and sense of fun throughout, with genuine chemistry between the two leads Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum.  

They form a brilliant double act, with a real bond that holds the film's central concept together. "21 Jump Street" also provides a modern take on high school life as it is today, avoiding the kind of John Hughes inspired cliches that often haunt teen high school comedies,  and instead subverting the jock/nerd relationship to great effect. This subversion is also apparent in the way it plays with action film tropes and pokes fun at it's own status as a 80's TV show remake. Overall it's the funniest film I saw this year.

4. Robot and Frank

"Robot and Frank" is a touching film that blends family dramedy with sci-fi perfectly.  The film finds a retired jewel thief struggling to come to terms with his ageing and the world's rapidly advancing technological changes, a problem that is exacerbated when his son brings in a robot carer to look after him.  The evolution of their relationship is handled brilliantly, bringing both laughs and touching moments of affection.  A great performance by Frank Langella anchors the film, with all-star support from Peter Sarsgard, Suzanne Sarandon, Liv Tyler and James Marsden.  This all plays out in a wonderfully subtle sci-fi future, with understandable and useful advances in technology, rather than hover cars and laser guns.

3. Moonrise Kingdom

Wes Anderson's foray into animation with "The Fantastic Mr. Fox" certainly seems to have rejuvenated him, as "Moonrise Kingdom" seems far more focused than his last few live-action movies.  Bringing the economy of storytelling essential for time consuming animated productions into his live action work has produced a tighter film. Charming and amusing in Anderson's usual manner, "Kingdom" also has stakes and growing tension, as you fear for the future of a runaway young couple as a great storm looms.  Not that this detracts from the fun, as it's still very funny and inventive throughout, with great turns from Ed Norton and Bruce Willis, proving fantastic additions to Anderson's regular troop. 

Youngsters Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward are also very good, bringing to life the central romance that fuels the plot. These scenes involving only the children highlight Wes Andersons eye for recreating childhood memories, remembering that as kids we always think we're older and more capable than we are.  This is something that was present throughout my favourite Anderson film "Rushmore" and is also crucial in the way this story unfolds.

  

2. The Master

The Master wasn't the harsh expose of Scientology that many had hoped for, but then again, Paul Thomas Anderson never said it would be.  Instead it's a entrancing look at two flawed men and how they feed off each other's problems. Despite being very different characters they both crave the adulation of others, but the way they go about this forms their symbiotic relationship.  Joaquin Phoenix's war veteran drifter Freddie Quell is an alcoholic outcast looking for a place to call home, and finds acceptance with Phillip Seymour Hoffman's Lancaster Dodd (The titular "Master") and his extended family of followers. Dodd is also looking for acceptance, but is more needy than the erratic Freddie. One man's adoration is not enough for "The Master", he needs the world to follow his lead. Hoffman is brilliant in this role, entertaining and berating his followers whilst shouting down and intimidating his enemies. Joaquin Phoenix, in a startling return to form, is perhaps even better as Freddie, the most watchable screen presence this year. 

Anderson acknowledges these great performances with copious close ups of the actors faces, trusting both actors to imbue their roles with complete depth. The differing characters portrayed offer a fascinating look at what impulses drive people to control others or be controlled and how faith can be built and destroyed.  I could write a lot more and I should at least mention the strong role played by women in the men's lives (exemplified by Dodd's strong wife played by Amy Adams), but feel I should probably just move on to the number one spot and leave you to watch it for yourselves. 

1. Avengers Assemble

Placing a huge Hollywood blockbuster at number one seems a little wrong, but director Joss Whedon really did achieve the impossible with "Avengers Assemble". He brought together various Marvel franchises of varying tone and quality and created what I think is the best super hero film ever made. Christopher Nolan set a high benchmark with the "Dark Knight", but I always felt that his film was at it's best as a thriller, more comfortable with "Heat" style heists than goofy bat-goggle gadgets.  

While Nolan's Batman seems embarrassed to be a superhero, "The Avengers" (it's title everywhere else other than the UK) embraces the genre's brightly coloured costumes and theatrical villains allowing it to be light and fun whilst maintaining high stakes with an epic scale.  Like Spiderman 2, it realises taking time out for small character moments is well worth the effort. The fact that Agent Coulson's trading card collection not only adds depth to the character while being vitally important to the story is a great example if this. 

This is apparent throughout the film, with each character given their time to shine and prove their worth. Even if Downey Jnr's Tony Stark still dominates, he at least get's some worthy opposition, which comes chiefly in the unexpected form of Mark Ruffalo's re-imagined Hulk. Gone is the whiny self loathing of old and in it's place Ruffalo provides us with an agitated genius who may not have learnt to accept his fate, but is moving towards understanding it. The Hulk's big-screen improvement extends to his big, green CG monster side, with a more convincing look and some of the best scenes in the film ("Puny god" and the unexpected sucker punch in particular). The new Hulk's arrival is also an example of how "The Avengers" improves on any previous Marvel movie.  

Strangely for a company that deals solely in superhero film's, Marvel Studio's output often delivers more on character than action, with many final acts failing to impress in the action stakes.  Whedon manages to avoid this in "The Avengers" by bringing back Tom Hiddleston's charismatic Loki from "Thor" and surrounding him with a whole army of inter-dimensional alien invaders.  This ups the stakes sufficiently to require this super-team-up and Whedon manages to convince us that each character has their role to play, despite their varying power levels. Captain America in particular works well in these scenes, where his relative lack of power allows his experience and organisational skills to instead be employed. 

This balance allows "The Avengers" to succeed where many blockbusters have fallen before, providing a blockbuster with laughs, tears, action and fun aplenty.

Worthy Mentions

Not quite on the main list...

Jack Reacher (to my surprise, very close to making the the top twelve. A fun old-school action/thriller), Killer Joe (again, very close to being in main list), Magic Mike, Chronicle, Holy Motors, Cabin in the Woods, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Argo, Ted, Sightseers, Young Adult, The Muppets, Headhunters, Looper, Skyfall (If the whole film had been like the mid section, it would have definitely made the list)

Worth a watch

Films worth a look -

End of Watch, Brave, Wanderlust, Dredd 3D, Safe, ParaNorman, Another Earth.

Disappointments

The Dark Knight Rises - It has it's moments (many of them brilliant) but overall I felt it was narratively messy. Why wasn't it split into two films to gives it's characters and ideas time to breath?
Looper - I enjoyed Looper, but my expectations were probably a bit too high. I was expecting more time travel trickiness then the film delivered.
The Amazing Spider-Man - The first half got me involved and excited, but the second half crumbled into a series of absurd set pieces that barely made sense. The crane section left me aghast. 
Prometheus - Much like Looper my expectations were very high. I came out of the cinema having enjoyed Prometheus, but the more I thought about it the more it fell apart.  Has there ever been a more inept group of scientists?  
Cosmopolis - It was always going to be wordy, but I didn't realise how dialogue heavy this movie would be.  It never really escaped it's source material and I wish I'd read the book instead. 
Rust and Bone - Not at the same level as director Jacques Audiard's previous effort "A Prophet" but still has powerful and very touching moments. The story didn't quite grab me though and seemed a little uneven.
The Hobbit - I'm not familiar with the book, but it seemed far sillier than the original trilogy and I had trouble buying into the central quest.  The high frame rate was interesting, but I didn't feel it added much to the film once I'd got used to it. 

Shame - Not as good as director Steve McQueen's debut "Hunger", but still has great sequences.
Carnage - A bit uneven and stagey, but still entertaining with Christoper Waltz giving another great performance.
Coriolanus - Worth watching just for Ralph Fiennes portrayal of the titular character in his directorial debut, but few of the other actors reach his level, which is why I think I found the Shakespearean dialogue jarring within the modern setting.

The ones that got away...
I'm still annoyed I missed these -

Safety Not Guaranteed, Lawless, Sinister, Anna Karenina, The Campaign, The Bourne Legacy, Ruby Sparks, Resident Evil: Retribution (I'm a sucker for these films - I don't know why), Iron Sky, Frankenweenie, Ill Manors, Compliance, "I, Anna", Haywire, Wrong (when will this get a UK release!!?), This is Not a Film, Monsieur Lazhar, The Imposter, Bernie, The Hunt, The Kid with a Bike, Berberian Sound Studio, Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, Margin Call, Sound of My Voice, Your Sister's Sister, Damsels in Distress, Silver Linings Playbook, Alps, Rise of the Guardians


Trends of 2012
Dog-knapping, explorations of faith, existential criminals, superheroes, subtle sci-fi, crunching painful violence, ageing and dementia


Hope you enjoyed reading my breakdown, Happy New Year!

2011 Update
The ones I caught up with that I missed last year...
The Interrupters, Weekend, Sleeping Beauty, The Guard, Rubber, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Troll Hunter, The Inbetweeners Movie

The ones I didn't..
A Separation (but LoveFilm have finally deemed to send me it), The Deep Blue Sea, Margin Call, The Descendants, , Beginners, Jane Eyre, Tangled, Biutiful, Meek's Cutoff, TT: Closer to the Edge, Neds, Moneyball, Crazy Stupid Love, Incendies, 50/50, My Week with Marilyn, Senna


Last Years Top Eleven
11. Hugo
10. Tree of Life
09. Black Swan
08. The Artist
07. Bridesmaids
06. Captain America
05. Drive
04. Blue Valentine
03. Submarine
02. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
01. Hanna