The Top Five of 2012
After (woo hoo!) an entire of reviewing movies, this is what it comes down to; the best of the best, the most amazing, well scripted, melodramatic dramas that Hollywood has to offer… maybe not, but these are my most enjoyable and well made films of 2012. As far as I’m concerned, the second half of the year was much better than the first half, while the year all around just kicked the balls of 2011, despite the huge titles that came out.
I’m looking at you, Twilight and Hangover 2.
Writer/Director Wes Anderson’s ability to take a story that involves the most trivial of events and make it seem as though a nuclear bomb going off would be less important is as developed as his ultra-dry sense of humor. This being said, the only reason the film didn’t rank higher in grade or order of this list, is the bit of deja-vu one might feel when watching this after Anderson’s other films. It’s a similar effect I feel watching Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes films: really good, I’m just fully expecting what happens throughout the movie without it being predictable.
In any case, Anderson seems to have the market in the “quirky hipster comedy” department.
How you can tell a movie is worth watching is when the guy reviewing it can’t stand the creators, while still acknowledges the film with due credit. What’s funniest about CITW is that while critics loved it, many audiences seemed confused. They liked it up until it started really making fun of the genre it’s viewers thought it was a part of. Oh sure, it was still Horror, but it’s catch was that it was able to break the fourth wall and say “Haven’t we seen this somewhere before?”
Funny enough, the newest Texas Chainsaw Massacre has been released almost a full year after this one, yet follows the story line to-the-freaking-letter. Bravo, gentlemen.
You knew this one had to be on here. I posted enough articles on DKR alone that it seemed fitting to give it its own category on the sidebar. Christopher Nolan’s third installment to Dark Knight trilogy couldn’t have beaten it’s predecessor, 2008’s The Dark Knight, but it did do the near impossible task of staying in the same league as it.
There’s nothing to say about this movie that hasn’t already been said somewhere, good or bad, the only question now is, who’s going to take up the mantle? Everyone from Joseph Gordon-Levitt retaining his role in the series to the upcoming Lone Ranger’s Armie Hammer, whose name is just hilarious. For Justice League, I would just hope they don’t rush the thing so they can keep up with Marvel’s stupidly excessive amount of whoring their own characters out. Green Lantern is already a miss, but Man of Steel looks promising.
2. Lawless
While Westerns are few and far between these days, it doesn’t hurt to occasionally throw in a prohibition-era film about three brothers ignoring, then full on fighting the law that represses them. Shia Labeouf is clearly eager to break away from his Transformers as this one involves no robots and several scenes where he sobs like a baby.
But if you’re looking for a sappy drama where death is a beautiful thing and family learns to love each other through heartache or something, look somewhere else. This movie is violent. Screenwriter Nick Cave also does the soundtrack, giving the film that backwoods feel. A great cast too, with Tom Hardy and Gary Oldman already back together after Dark Knight Rises, while Jessica Chastain has clearly proven that she not only knows what roles to pick, but does a great job in them.
Speaking of Westerns being rare, director Quentin Tarantino gives us our first ever “Southern.” My most recently reviewed movie (I’m still wondering if I should bother putting up Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Django tells the story of a slave-turned-bounty hunter on the hunt to find his wife, and snatch her away from her owners. There is nobody in this film that doesn’t do an amazing job. This isn’t limited to just acting either as the costumes, music, and setting all provide a great playground for these characters to have their bloody fun.
Honorable Mention:
Skyfall
Lincoln
The Hobbit
Looper
DREDD– Say what you want about this “reboot” that didn’t even make it’s budget- but it was awesome. Unlike the ’94 Stallone version, this one knew what it was and much like its central protagonist, it knew what it was and it was fun: something I just didn’t expect from it.
Look for The Worst of 2012, coming up soon.
Zombies Ruin Everything 
Discuss!