Hello, everyone! I am taking a break from my usual music-related writings to step in on YPOIW's Abandoned Theater segment, which, as the title suggests, focuses on films. This is a list of my top twenty favorite films of 2012 along with very brief blurbs for the top ten. Thanks for reading!
- Danny Spiteri
20. Jeff, Who Lives at Home
19. The Secret World of Arrietty
18. The Dark Knight Rises
17. Django Unchained
16. Bernie
15. Argo
14. Silver Linings Playbook
13. This is 40
12. Amour
11. Wreck-it Ralph
10. Paranorman
The makers of 2009's exceptional Coraline return with Paranorman, a well-intentioned depiction of misunderstood children that also serves as an immaculately animated and genuinely humorous film for all ages.
9. Skyfall
Sam Mendes brings a fresh voice to the admirably durable James Bond franchise, employing magnificent cinematography and top-notch contributions from actors both fresh and familiar to the series to create what is by far one of the best Bond films to date.
8. Cloud Atlas
Although it doesn't execute its thematically dense plot quite as coherently as it could, Cloud Atlas is nevertheless an enthralling, memorable film that mostly realizes its ambition.
7. Looper
Looper is a stylish tech-noir film that succeeds both as a thrilling action movie with an engaging plot and exciting sequences and as a demonstration of how desire can eventually corrupt a person.
6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
From a distance, The Perks of Being a Wallflower could seem like a generic entry in the indie teen movie genre, but rather, the film transcends its clichés with irresistibly charming performances and emotionally resonant themes.
5. Seven Psychopaths
Martin McDonagh's followup to 2008's In Bruges is a witty piece of satire that smartly makes commentary on Hollywood films, also utilizing its all-star cast to great comedic effect.
4. Beasts of the Southern Wild
An aesthetically beautiful, exceptionally paced coming-of-age story, Beasts of the Southern Wild is not only a promising debut from director Benh Zeitlin, but also an excellent showcase for young lead actress Quvenzhané Wallis' stunning performance.
3. Holy Motors
Parallels between "the stage" and "real life" have been drawn before, but Holy Motors expresses them via a highly surreal and bizarre lens, comparing the cinema to reality in a thought-provoking and surprisingly relatable fashion.
2. The Master
Never shortchanging its expertly developed characters, The Master is an intricate exploration of faith, loneliness, and the often confused search for fulfillment, featuring superb performances from Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams, as well as typically masterful direction from one of modern cinema's most respectable names, Paul Thomas Anderson.
1. Moonrise Kingdom
Wes Anderson has been fine-tuning his signature style of quirky indie film making over the course of his filmography, arriving at what is arguably his finest film yet with Moonrise Kingdom, a gorgeously framed, tastefully heartwarming, and appropriately funny tale of love between two outsider-esque children.
Love the list Danny!
ReplyDeleteThanks! :)
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