Sunday, February 22, 2015
Top 10 Movies of 2012
I have finally gotten through all the movies I wanted to see from 2012, so I can put together a top ten list. I liked a fair amount of movies from 2012, but when I was putting together a list I noticed that there was a clear top two for me but after that it was tough to rank. So think of #3-10 as basically a tie.
Here's the list:
10. The Dark Knight Rises
Christopher Nolan is my favorite director out there, and although this isn't one of his best efforts it's still well worth watching. It doesn't have the memorable scenes or crazy villain of The Dark Knight, but the last hour is very good, and it's not a bad way to spend an afternoon if it's on cable.
9. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
This is the first movie I have seen Emma Watson in since Harry Potter, and she holds up very well (although her American accent was a little distracting). She was the highlight in this movie about misfits going through high school. I was definitely rooting for her and the main character to get together. Plus this has one of the more fun high school dance scenes (and will get Come on Eileen stuck in your head for the rest of the day).
8. Lincoln
I just saw this Best Picture nominee. The acting is what stands out here, with so many great actors playing small roles. And of course Daniel Day-Lewis deserves every award he got for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln. It is a little uneven but you can tell the best Hollywood has to offer worked on this movie.
7. The Five-Year Engagement
Emily Blunt is starting to grow on me, and that really started with this movie. She is great here balancing comedy and drama. I like that is at times very funny but also feels very real in terms of the trials and tribulations of being in a relationship. It's the best comedy of the year.
6. Flight
This was billed as more of a disaster movie. But what you get is even better, a harrowing portrayal of a man's battle with alcoholism. It stands up there with classics like The Lost Weekend and Days of Wine and Roses, and that's largely due to Denzel Washington. He's not exactly a sympathetic character but you keep rooting for him to beat the disease and he keeps losing. It's hard to watch.
5. Zero Dark Thirty
Another Best Picture nominee, this was definitely well-made. Jessica Chastain is terrific in a cast otherwise dominated by men. Some parts really work, others are not quite as good as I thought they would be. It's definitely worth seeing just to see what led up to killing Osama bin Laden.
4. Skyfall
This is the best of Daniel Craig's Bond movies, and probably the best Bond theme in at least 20 years. There are some great scenes, especially in the first half of the movie. Javier Bardem is lacking a bit as the villain but it's definitely entertaining.
3. Silver Linings Playbook
This is #3 on my list pretty much solely because of Jennifer Lawrence. She shines in every scene she's in. I love the back and forth between her and Bradley Cooper. This has some flaws, but it's one of the best movies of the year.
2. Argo
Argo is the most edge of your seat movie I've seen in a while. It does a great job of building suspense. Even if you know what's going to happen, you can't wait to see how it's going to get there. It's tense and a fascinating history lesson.
1. Les Miserables
This is the only movie from 2012 that I own and have seen multiple times. Les Mis is one of my favorite musicals and I have no problems with the movie adaptation. Some people don't like all the tight shots and Russell Crowe and how long it is. But the music is outstanding, the performances are great and it's very moving. Many people were crying for several minutes after it ended. Plus Samantha Barks! Love her as Eponine.
Here's the list:
10. The Dark Knight Rises
Christopher Nolan is my favorite director out there, and although this isn't one of his best efforts it's still well worth watching. It doesn't have the memorable scenes or crazy villain of The Dark Knight, but the last hour is very good, and it's not a bad way to spend an afternoon if it's on cable.
9. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
This is the first movie I have seen Emma Watson in since Harry Potter, and she holds up very well (although her American accent was a little distracting). She was the highlight in this movie about misfits going through high school. I was definitely rooting for her and the main character to get together. Plus this has one of the more fun high school dance scenes (and will get Come on Eileen stuck in your head for the rest of the day).
8. Lincoln
I just saw this Best Picture nominee. The acting is what stands out here, with so many great actors playing small roles. And of course Daniel Day-Lewis deserves every award he got for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln. It is a little uneven but you can tell the best Hollywood has to offer worked on this movie.
7. The Five-Year Engagement
Emily Blunt is starting to grow on me, and that really started with this movie. She is great here balancing comedy and drama. I like that is at times very funny but also feels very real in terms of the trials and tribulations of being in a relationship. It's the best comedy of the year.
6. Flight
This was billed as more of a disaster movie. But what you get is even better, a harrowing portrayal of a man's battle with alcoholism. It stands up there with classics like The Lost Weekend and Days of Wine and Roses, and that's largely due to Denzel Washington. He's not exactly a sympathetic character but you keep rooting for him to beat the disease and he keeps losing. It's hard to watch.
5. Zero Dark Thirty
Another Best Picture nominee, this was definitely well-made. Jessica Chastain is terrific in a cast otherwise dominated by men. Some parts really work, others are not quite as good as I thought they would be. It's definitely worth seeing just to see what led up to killing Osama bin Laden.
4. Skyfall
This is the best of Daniel Craig's Bond movies, and probably the best Bond theme in at least 20 years. There are some great scenes, especially in the first half of the movie. Javier Bardem is lacking a bit as the villain but it's definitely entertaining.
3. Silver Linings Playbook
This is #3 on my list pretty much solely because of Jennifer Lawrence. She shines in every scene she's in. I love the back and forth between her and Bradley Cooper. This has some flaws, but it's one of the best movies of the year.
2. Argo
Argo is the most edge of your seat movie I've seen in a while. It does a great job of building suspense. Even if you know what's going to happen, you can't wait to see how it's going to get there. It's tense and a fascinating history lesson.
1. Les Miserables
This is the only movie from 2012 that I own and have seen multiple times. Les Mis is one of my favorite musicals and I have no problems with the movie adaptation. Some people don't like all the tight shots and Russell Crowe and how long it is. But the music is outstanding, the performances are great and it's very moving. Many people were crying for several minutes after it ended. Plus Samantha Barks! Love her as Eponine.
