So here we are with my Top 10 Picks of 2012 and as always other opinions are available but these ten just happened to stick with me throughout the year.
Amour
Director: Michael Haeneke
A brilliant portrayal of everlasting love and the tragedy that life begins, Haneke's simple film told the story of Emmanuella Riva's retired music teacher Anne who started to lose her mind after several strokes while her husband Georges tried to care for her in the best way possible. Setting the majority of the film in the couple's flat Amour relies on simple emotion as Anne's memories start to fade and Georges begins to get more frustrated. Though the opening scene already tells us what's in store it doesn't make the pivotal scene any more shocking and by the end of the film I was emotionally exhausted and for that reason alone Amour gets a place in my Top 10 films of the year.
Argo
Director: Ben Affleck
Who would've thought that Ben Affleck would one day be one of the most critically acclaimed directors in Hollywood but it's gradually happened and with his third film in the director's chair he has proved himself a talent to be reckoned with. Argo is one of those 'strange but true stories' that is part hostage thriller and part Hollywood satire as Affleck's CIA operative concocts a phony film to get American hostages out of Iran safely and ropes in Alan Arkin's producer and John Goodman's make-up artist to help him. The result is perfect as Argo has some really big laughs but also a tense final act as I was willing the hostages to get out of Iran safely. As it's success on the awards circuit has proven, Argo is certainly a film that has a broad appeal and I personally think it is the best mainstream movie of the year.
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Director: Benh Zeitlin
I wasn't quite sure what to expect when I first sat down to watch Beasts of The Southern Wild but what I got was a dark fairytale about floods, family and belonging. The film centres on a Louisiana community known as 'The Bathtub' and on five-year old Hushpuppy who lives with her erratic father Wink. Part of the charm of the film is that we see the world through Hush Puppy's eyes and young Quevenzhane Wallis is utterly breath-taking in the lead role giving what I believe to be the performance of the year. Another masterstroke was to cast non-actors in the lead roles therefore Beasts has an all-together realistic quality which counterbalances it's more fantastical elements. All in all a visual masterpiece, that is fantastically acted and stays with you long after you've left the cinema.
Headhunters
Director: Morten Tyldum
When I was watching Headhunters I thought I knew exactly where the plot was going but then it took me in a completely different direction and that's what I loved about it. Mortern Tyldum's stylish crime movie was part art heist caper and part cat and mouse thriller with some great action sequences but along the way it also retained a sense of humour about it. Askel Hennie's lead character was initially a bit smarmy however as his life starts to unravel we begin to sympathise with him while Game of Thrones' Nikolaj Coster-Waldau was perfect as the powerful antagonist. This was a visually engaging, well-written thriller that had a great ending and once again proved that Scandinavian film-making is currently at its best.
The Hunt
Director: Thomas Vinterberg
Another film that proved this point was Thomas Vinterberg's The Hunt which had a simple message at its core namely that 'mud sticks'. This beautifully stylised piece saw Mads Mikklesen's divorced nursery school assistant accused of exposing himself to a little girl which was a lie that spiralled and essentially destroys his life. The film explores the mob mentality of a small-community and sees Mikklesen's character slowly ostracised from his former friends to the extent where he is no longer allowed to shop in the local store. Mikklsen's performance is one of the best I've seen all year and it was great to see him playing the wronged everyman who is just trying to get his life back on track. The final scene perfectly demonstrated that a lie that is told never really goes away and I have to say this was another film that really struck a chord with me emotionally.
Once Upon a Time in Anatolia
Director: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Initially viewed as a police procedural this Turkish film became much more than that as we followed several characters involved in the hunt for a dead body. Filled with some great cinematography and some very well-drawn characters, Nuri Bilge Ceylan's film wasn't above swerving us and taking us on a completely different journey in the final chapter of the story. The reference to Sergio Leone's films is more than apt as both are beautifully shot and also feature three very different characters who are all involved in the same story for different reasons. A combination of light-and-shade, a great script and terrific central performances made Once Upon a Time in Anatolia stick in my mind for many months and made it hard for me not to put it in this final ten films of the year.
The Raid
Director: Gareth Huw Evans
While there were a ton of high-octane action thrillers produced by Hollywood this year my favourite action film of the year has to be this Indonesian-effort directed by a Welshman. The Raid has the simplest of premises namely that a SWAT team has to attempt to arrest a slum lanlord by entering the tower block he owns. However this is easier said than done as the landlord sets all of his tenants onto the cops who are picked off one by one until only a few remain. The action was full-on throughout with a mixture of shoot-em-up and old school martial arts being employed to the fullest effect however there was also a story of two estranged brothers that gave a much needed emotional edge to The Raid. I have to say that I was totally engrossed from beginning to end and though we're told that violence never pays it certainly did in terms of this film.
Rust and Bone
Director: Jacques Audiard
The French cornered the market when it came to believable love stories this year and while Amour was an emotionally draining exercise, Jacques Audiard's film was a much more traditional romance. Audiard is much better known for his male-centric films, such as A Prophet, however here he put Marion Cotillard's whale trainer Stephanie front and centre as a tragic accident means that she has to change her life completely. Over a period of time Stephanie develops a friendship with slightly selfish single father Ali, played by newcomer Matthias Schoenaerts, which develops into something more as the story goes on. Both Ali and Stephanie are believable well-drawn characters and both central actors give stunning performances while, when combined with some great visual set pieces, make Rust and Bone one of the most memorable films of 2012.
Searching for Sugar Man
Director: Malik Bendjelloul
It's been hard deciding which of this year's documentaries to put into the Top Ten but I finally decided on Malik Bendjelloul's film about a musical odyssey with a surprising twist. The film concerns unknown American musician Rodriguez who, while unheard of in his home country, gained a huge following in South Africa as his songs became the soundtrack of the Apartheid movement. As the story move on two Capte Town natives set out to find out just what happened to Rodriguez and how it was he died with the conclusion being more shocking then either could imagine. This was a great documentary as it was part mystery, part musician profile and part life-affirming story that had plenty of warmth throughout and really made me want to learn more about the enigmatic Rodriguez.
Shame
Director: Steve McQueen
The second pairing of Steve McQueen and Michael Fassbender resulted in a film that shines a light on the seedy side of New York as we followed the exploit of Fassbender's sex addict over a number of months. Fassbender's performance alone would be enough to make this film one of the year's best however former artist McQueen's eye for detail meant that this was also one of the most beautifully shot pieces of the year. Add to that the fragile performance by Carey Mulligan as Fassbender's sister and you've got a trio of great reasons why Shame was one of this year's best films and why Fassbender is one of the greatest screen actors working today.
Well there you have it my Top 10 films of 2012 in detail. I'll see you back here in around twelve months' time for the countdown of the best films of 2013.
Sunday 27 January 2013
Top 50 Films of 2012: No.20 - 11
Ordinarily most of the films below would've made my Top 10 List, and some almost were, however I've had to make some alterations and tough choices so here's the latter half of my Top 20 with ten more great films.
Berberian Sound Studio
Director: Peter Strickland
Sometimes a film really takes you on an odd journey and Berberian Sound Studio was definitely one of those films. The piece is set during the 1970s where Toby Jones' sound man travels over to Italy to work on a film that, unbeknownst to him, is a very bloody horror movie. The focus on sound effects over dialogue is great as is the lead performance from Jones who is one of the most underrated British actors working today. Best of all though was Peter Strickland's script as Jones' protagonist begins to lose his mind though I personally found the ending a little flat.
Carancho
Director: Pablo Trapero
Previously the director of the Oscar-winning The Secret in Their Eyes, Paolo Trapero returned with a very moody look at the Argentinian night-life in Carancho. The Carancho of the title is an ambulance-chasing lawyer played by Ricardo Darin who, over a number of evenings, falls in love with a young idealistic paramedic. Trapero concentrates a lot of the look of his films so we feel trapped in hospital corridors or claustrophobic in the backs of ambulances while the end sequences were just amazing. What I liked the most though was that this was primarily a love story between two damaged characters who were destined to be apart mainly because of their occupations.
Even the Rain
Director: Iciar Bollain
Sticking in South America we have Even the Rain which tells the story of a film crew shooting the story of Christopher Columbus' voyage to the new world. The film is also set against the backdrop of the protests in Bolivia where the government started to raise the prices of water which is a problem for the film crew as their lead actor is also one of the central protesters. Even the Rain was a great film for a number of reasons namely Paul Laverty's great script and the performances from Luis Tosar and in particular Juan Carlos Aduviri who is completely compelling as the rebellious Daniel. More than anything this was a film about standing up for what you believe and changing your opinions of people both of which I find are universal themes.
The Imposter
Director: Bart Layton
As I've said time and time again throughout this countdown this really has been the year for great documentaries and Bart Layton's fantastic story about French conman Frederic Bourdin who pretended to be missing Texan teen Nicholas Barclay almost seem too unlikely to be true. Barclay really was able to covey the odd nature of the tale with both talking heads and reconstruction while building to a very compelling climax. The interesting thing about this documentary is who you actually believe is it the conman, the private detective or the grieving family? In the end we don't get all the answers we need but this story certainly stuck with me and this is why it's one of my films of the year.
Killing the Softly
Director: Andrew Dominik
Andrew Dominik and Brad Pitt teamed up successfully for the great western - The Assassination of Jesse James back in 2007. Five years later they left the wild west behind them to make an old fashioned crime movie in which Brad Pitt plays hitman Jackie Coogan a smooth-talking guy who is hired to find out who orchestrated a heist during the poker game of Markie Trattman played by Ray Liotta. Dominik is able to produce a very slick, stylised film that doesn't outstay its welcome while also linking events in the film to the financial crisis in America. While it may not be a perfect film, James Gandolfini was a little too over the top for my liking, ultimately this was a purely enjoyable movie that I got a lot of entertainment from.
The Master
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Four years ago Paul Thomas Anderson's awesome There Will Be Blood topped my Films of 2008 list but in 2012 his latest feature fails to make the Top 10. I found this was mainly due to the fact that the narrative structure was a little bit weak towards the final third of the film and it became a little repetitive. Despite this The Master is still one of the best-acted films of the year thanks to the performance of Joaquin Phoenix as Freddie Sutton a drifter who falls under the spell of Philip Seymour Hoffman's cult leader Lancaster Dodd. While Hoffman's grandstanding is a joy to watch, and Amy Adams puts in a great supporting turn as Mrs Dodd, I personally thought this was Phoenix's show and loved his performance as this very messed up character. As is always the case with PTA's films I found The Master to be visually stunning however there was just something missing for it to find a place in my Top 10.
Monsieur Lazhar
Director: Phillipe Falardeau
Sometimes a film you know very little about can catch you unawares and Monsieur Lazhar was definitely one of those films. This French Canadian feature, which was nominated for a Foreign Language Oscar, sees Mohammed Felag's Algerian refugee volunteer to teach a class of primary school children whose teacher has just committed suicide. Far from being another inspirational teacher film, Monsieur Lazhar is quite a harsh tale mixing themes of second chances, missed opportunities and doing the right thing to create a truly spectacular movie. In fact Monsieur Lazhar was one of those films that I would say was too short but the final scene really got to me emotionally and I'm not ashamed to say that I had a little tear in my eye.
Moonrise Kingdom
Director: Wes Anderson
It's fair to say that Wes Anderson is a director that divides viewers with some finding his films charming while others find him annoyingly quirky. I personally was a fan of Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums but found his later films a little annoying thankfully then Moonrise Kingdom was a dazzling return to form. Moonrise Kingdom featured Anderson's usual style and love of music however for once the two protagonists were people you actually liked as we followed twen outcasts Sam and Suzy as they run away from home and fall in love. The performances from the two young leads were spectacular and they were backed up with some fantastic work from Bruce Willis, Ed Norton and Tilda Swinton. I would go as far as to say that this was Anderson's best work to date and I feel he'll have a hard time topping what he did in Moonrise Kingdom.
A Royal Affair
Director: Nikolaj Arcel
2012 was an excellent year for Scandinavian imports both on the small and big screen and A Royal Affair is the first of three films from area to feature on this countdown. The film tells the story of the young English lady Caroline Mathilde who is forced to marry the supposedly deranged crown prince Christian of Denmark. The film then focuses on the couple's relationship with controversial royal physician Struensee who falls in love with Caroline while at the same time convincing Christian to stand up to his court. What could've been just another period drama is saved by a trio of great performances, notably from the incredible Mads Mikkelsen as Struensee, as well as some brilliant production design. The film combines themes of sacrificing what you believe in and changing people's perception of you and also sheds light on a piece of history that I knew very little about.
Skyfall
Director: Sam Mendes
Finishing off this section we have the latest Bond film which celebrated 50 years of the franchise by producing arguably the best Bond movie to date. Following up the inconsistent Quantum of Solace, Skyfall captivated straight away thanks to it thrilling opening train sequence and didn't let up to the final Home Alone-style set piece in the Scottish Highlands. Daniel Craig was at his best portraying a weakened Bond while Javier Bardem played a believable bad guy an Judi Dench even got to use her handgun as M featured quite heavily throughout. Skyfall was by and far the year's best blockbuster and was rightfully the most successful Bond film of all time.
So there are ten films that could've easily made it into the final part of the list, to discover what I've chosen in my final ten tune back soon.
Berberian Sound Studio
Director: Peter Strickland
Sometimes a film really takes you on an odd journey and Berberian Sound Studio was definitely one of those films. The piece is set during the 1970s where Toby Jones' sound man travels over to Italy to work on a film that, unbeknownst to him, is a very bloody horror movie. The focus on sound effects over dialogue is great as is the lead performance from Jones who is one of the most underrated British actors working today. Best of all though was Peter Strickland's script as Jones' protagonist begins to lose his mind though I personally found the ending a little flat.
Carancho
Director: Pablo Trapero
Previously the director of the Oscar-winning The Secret in Their Eyes, Paolo Trapero returned with a very moody look at the Argentinian night-life in Carancho. The Carancho of the title is an ambulance-chasing lawyer played by Ricardo Darin who, over a number of evenings, falls in love with a young idealistic paramedic. Trapero concentrates a lot of the look of his films so we feel trapped in hospital corridors or claustrophobic in the backs of ambulances while the end sequences were just amazing. What I liked the most though was that this was primarily a love story between two damaged characters who were destined to be apart mainly because of their occupations.
Even the Rain
Director: Iciar Bollain
Sticking in South America we have Even the Rain which tells the story of a film crew shooting the story of Christopher Columbus' voyage to the new world. The film is also set against the backdrop of the protests in Bolivia where the government started to raise the prices of water which is a problem for the film crew as their lead actor is also one of the central protesters. Even the Rain was a great film for a number of reasons namely Paul Laverty's great script and the performances from Luis Tosar and in particular Juan Carlos Aduviri who is completely compelling as the rebellious Daniel. More than anything this was a film about standing up for what you believe and changing your opinions of people both of which I find are universal themes.
The Imposter
Director: Bart Layton
As I've said time and time again throughout this countdown this really has been the year for great documentaries and Bart Layton's fantastic story about French conman Frederic Bourdin who pretended to be missing Texan teen Nicholas Barclay almost seem too unlikely to be true. Barclay really was able to covey the odd nature of the tale with both talking heads and reconstruction while building to a very compelling climax. The interesting thing about this documentary is who you actually believe is it the conman, the private detective or the grieving family? In the end we don't get all the answers we need but this story certainly stuck with me and this is why it's one of my films of the year.
Killing the Softly
Director: Andrew Dominik
Andrew Dominik and Brad Pitt teamed up successfully for the great western - The Assassination of Jesse James back in 2007. Five years later they left the wild west behind them to make an old fashioned crime movie in which Brad Pitt plays hitman Jackie Coogan a smooth-talking guy who is hired to find out who orchestrated a heist during the poker game of Markie Trattman played by Ray Liotta. Dominik is able to produce a very slick, stylised film that doesn't outstay its welcome while also linking events in the film to the financial crisis in America. While it may not be a perfect film, James Gandolfini was a little too over the top for my liking, ultimately this was a purely enjoyable movie that I got a lot of entertainment from.
The Master
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Four years ago Paul Thomas Anderson's awesome There Will Be Blood topped my Films of 2008 list but in 2012 his latest feature fails to make the Top 10. I found this was mainly due to the fact that the narrative structure was a little bit weak towards the final third of the film and it became a little repetitive. Despite this The Master is still one of the best-acted films of the year thanks to the performance of Joaquin Phoenix as Freddie Sutton a drifter who falls under the spell of Philip Seymour Hoffman's cult leader Lancaster Dodd. While Hoffman's grandstanding is a joy to watch, and Amy Adams puts in a great supporting turn as Mrs Dodd, I personally thought this was Phoenix's show and loved his performance as this very messed up character. As is always the case with PTA's films I found The Master to be visually stunning however there was just something missing for it to find a place in my Top 10.
Monsieur Lazhar
Director: Phillipe Falardeau
Sometimes a film you know very little about can catch you unawares and Monsieur Lazhar was definitely one of those films. This French Canadian feature, which was nominated for a Foreign Language Oscar, sees Mohammed Felag's Algerian refugee volunteer to teach a class of primary school children whose teacher has just committed suicide. Far from being another inspirational teacher film, Monsieur Lazhar is quite a harsh tale mixing themes of second chances, missed opportunities and doing the right thing to create a truly spectacular movie. In fact Monsieur Lazhar was one of those films that I would say was too short but the final scene really got to me emotionally and I'm not ashamed to say that I had a little tear in my eye.
Moonrise Kingdom
Director: Wes Anderson
It's fair to say that Wes Anderson is a director that divides viewers with some finding his films charming while others find him annoyingly quirky. I personally was a fan of Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums but found his later films a little annoying thankfully then Moonrise Kingdom was a dazzling return to form. Moonrise Kingdom featured Anderson's usual style and love of music however for once the two protagonists were people you actually liked as we followed twen outcasts Sam and Suzy as they run away from home and fall in love. The performances from the two young leads were spectacular and they were backed up with some fantastic work from Bruce Willis, Ed Norton and Tilda Swinton. I would go as far as to say that this was Anderson's best work to date and I feel he'll have a hard time topping what he did in Moonrise Kingdom.
A Royal Affair
Director: Nikolaj Arcel
2012 was an excellent year for Scandinavian imports both on the small and big screen and A Royal Affair is the first of three films from area to feature on this countdown. The film tells the story of the young English lady Caroline Mathilde who is forced to marry the supposedly deranged crown prince Christian of Denmark. The film then focuses on the couple's relationship with controversial royal physician Struensee who falls in love with Caroline while at the same time convincing Christian to stand up to his court. What could've been just another period drama is saved by a trio of great performances, notably from the incredible Mads Mikkelsen as Struensee, as well as some brilliant production design. The film combines themes of sacrificing what you believe in and changing people's perception of you and also sheds light on a piece of history that I knew very little about.
Skyfall
Director: Sam Mendes
Finishing off this section we have the latest Bond film which celebrated 50 years of the franchise by producing arguably the best Bond movie to date. Following up the inconsistent Quantum of Solace, Skyfall captivated straight away thanks to it thrilling opening train sequence and didn't let up to the final Home Alone-style set piece in the Scottish Highlands. Daniel Craig was at his best portraying a weakened Bond while Javier Bardem played a believable bad guy an Judi Dench even got to use her handgun as M featured quite heavily throughout. Skyfall was by and far the year's best blockbuster and was rightfully the most successful Bond film of all time.
So there are ten films that could've easily made it into the final part of the list, to discover what I've chosen in my final ten tune back soon.
Friday 25 January 2013
Top 50 Films of 2012: No.30 - 21
So we're halfway through this crazy year now and here are some films that were in my Top 10 at one stage but due to the quality have tumbled down into this section.
The Angel's Share
Director: Ken Loach
Ken Loach returns to the tone he set in Looking for Eric in this amiable comedy with an edge that sees Paul Brannigan's Robbie and his fellow community service parolees attempt to steal several bottles of the world's most expensive whisky. The whole whisky heist story almost plays out like an Ealing comedy however Loach brings in a lot of depth to the film thanks to the past the Robbie character has endured including rendering a young boy disabled. Screenwriter Paul Laverty, who will feature in this list later on, mixes warmth with social commentary and the film also has a great supporting turn from John Henshaw as Robbie's whisky mentor.
The Cabin in the Woods - SPOILER ALERT!!
Director: Drew Goddard
OK so I'll try to keep this as spoiler-free as possible but you can't talk about the delightful Cabin in the Woods without talking about what made it great. While the trailer made you think that this was a simple kids in the woods slasher movie, writer Joss Whedon and director Drew Goddard's film was much more of a satire on horror movies over the years. The characters played by Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins were a complete antithesis of what you usually see in your teen horror films and helped the right amount of sarcasm to the film. While I think the ultimate idea split audiences for me I think it was a brave attempt at something new however I reckon it will unfortunately mean a lot more film-makers will try to copy the idea.
The Descendants
Director: Alexander Payne
Though technically a 2011 film, this Oscar winner was one that I watched in 2012 and therefore counts towards this list as we saw George Clooney's sad-sap dad try to comfort his daughters after their mother ends up in a coma. While this was one of Alexander Payne's weaker films it still had plenty of heart thanks to the script and the performances from Clooney and the two young actresses playing his daughters. The setting of Hawaii gave the film a real sense of place and once again Payne perfectly depicts what it's like to be a middle-aged man and still not sure where you stand in the world.
The Hunger Games
Director: Gary Ross
I initially felt that Gary Ross' blockbuster would be another Twilight as both were based on sets of books aimed at young female readers however thankfully it was so much more than that. That was partly down to Jennifer Lawrence's grounded performance as Katniss Everdeen a bow-and-arrow-wielding teen who was attempting to survive The Hunger Games which was essentially a less brutal Battle Royale. The combination of the harsh subject matter with the colourful supporting performances of Stanley Tucci, Toby Jones, Elizabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson really bought this film to life and I have to say I was gripped from beginning to end. I would also go as far as to say that Jennifer Lawrence made much more of an impression on me in this film than she did in her Oscar-nominated role in Silver Linings Playbook.
The Kid with a Bike
Directors: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
I wasn't expecting a great deal from this little French film but it ended up being a simple tale of lost childhood and trying to find your place in the world. It concerned twelve-year old Cyril a resident and a children's home who was convinced that his father would one day come for him something that never happened. Instead Cyril found a new home with a kindly hairdresser who looked after him yet hankered for something more and unfortunately fell under the influence of a local gang leader. The film was beautifully shot by the Dardenne brothers and stuck with me due to the great lead performances of Thomas Doret and Cecile De France.
Life of Pi
Director: Ang Lee
The award for most visually stunning film of the year must go to Ang Lee's Life of Pi or as I call it a boy, a boat and a tiger. From beginning to end the film lit up the screen with its cacophony of colour and stunning later scenes with starkly-lit marine life and an island full of meerkats. The reason why it's so low on the list is that I found it a little bit lacking in narrative depth and I felt Lee spent a little too long on the boat however the opening and closing of the film had plenty of character. All of the actors playing Pi were really compelling and overall I found this to be a great tale of survival and belief.
Marley
Director: Kevin MacDonald
It's fair to say that Kevin MacDonald knows his stuff when it comes to documentary making and after the brilliant Touching the Void comes this tribute to Bob Marley. You can tell from the offset that this is MacDonald's labour of love to his idol and despite its lengthy run time I never once felt bored. Instead I enjoyed listening to the story of Marley and more importantly hearing all of the music that the Marley family let MacDonald have the rights to. For me the only issue with the film was that it didn't dig deep enough into Marley's more aggressive side, only hinting at it in some sections, but other than that a great music biography of one of the icons of the industry who had a story that needed telling.
The Muppets
Director: James Bobin
It's easy to be sniffy about The Muppets but to me it was the best kids/family film of the year as it definitely appealed to both children and adults. It was clear that Jason Segal had a real love of The Muppets and wanted to do them justice with both his script and Brett Mackenzie's songs setting the right tone for the film. All of The Muppet performers were at the top of their game and a tear almost came to my eye when I heard 'The Rainbow Connection' while there was a lot of fun to be had from Chris Cooper's evil landlord. Overall this was a real reinvention for The Muppets and I just worry that their reputation will be tarnished by future sequels.
Nostalgia for the Light
Director: Patricio Guzman
A fascinating documentary focusing on both astronomy and the atrocities committed by Pinochet's regime in Chile. Guzman's film is set mainly in the Atacama Desert where women still search for crushed up bones of their loved ones while at the same time the film looks at the similarities between the desert and the surface of Mars. I think the reason I enjoyed Nostalgia for the Light is that it shone a light on a part of history that I knew nothing about while at the same time was phenomenal to look at. While it wasn't always the easiest of watches it was still a fascinating and eye-opening documentary made by someone who clearly has a passion for telling good stories.
Young Adult
Director: Jason Reitman
The reunion of Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody, the team behind Juno, passed a lot of people by and for me Young Adult didn't get the recognition it deserves. Cody took the criticism that she didn't write for young people and turned her latest character, Charlie Theron's author, into a young adult novelist meaning that she didn't talk or act her age. As well as being a fantastically written work it also featured Charlize Theron's best performance as the awful Mavis who actually has a lot of pain behind those stinging insults meanwhile Patton Oswalt put an awesome supporting turn as her unlikely new ally. While Young Adult didn't have the best of endings it was still one of the year's funniest films and should've got a bit more love than it actually did.
So there's another ten. Next time we hit the Top 20.
The Angel's Share
Director: Ken Loach
Ken Loach returns to the tone he set in Looking for Eric in this amiable comedy with an edge that sees Paul Brannigan's Robbie and his fellow community service parolees attempt to steal several bottles of the world's most expensive whisky. The whole whisky heist story almost plays out like an Ealing comedy however Loach brings in a lot of depth to the film thanks to the past the Robbie character has endured including rendering a young boy disabled. Screenwriter Paul Laverty, who will feature in this list later on, mixes warmth with social commentary and the film also has a great supporting turn from John Henshaw as Robbie's whisky mentor.
The Cabin in the Woods - SPOILER ALERT!!
Director: Drew Goddard
OK so I'll try to keep this as spoiler-free as possible but you can't talk about the delightful Cabin in the Woods without talking about what made it great. While the trailer made you think that this was a simple kids in the woods slasher movie, writer Joss Whedon and director Drew Goddard's film was much more of a satire on horror movies over the years. The characters played by Bradley Whitford and Richard Jenkins were a complete antithesis of what you usually see in your teen horror films and helped the right amount of sarcasm to the film. While I think the ultimate idea split audiences for me I think it was a brave attempt at something new however I reckon it will unfortunately mean a lot more film-makers will try to copy the idea.
The Descendants
Director: Alexander Payne
Though technically a 2011 film, this Oscar winner was one that I watched in 2012 and therefore counts towards this list as we saw George Clooney's sad-sap dad try to comfort his daughters after their mother ends up in a coma. While this was one of Alexander Payne's weaker films it still had plenty of heart thanks to the script and the performances from Clooney and the two young actresses playing his daughters. The setting of Hawaii gave the film a real sense of place and once again Payne perfectly depicts what it's like to be a middle-aged man and still not sure where you stand in the world.
The Hunger Games
Director: Gary Ross
I initially felt that Gary Ross' blockbuster would be another Twilight as both were based on sets of books aimed at young female readers however thankfully it was so much more than that. That was partly down to Jennifer Lawrence's grounded performance as Katniss Everdeen a bow-and-arrow-wielding teen who was attempting to survive The Hunger Games which was essentially a less brutal Battle Royale. The combination of the harsh subject matter with the colourful supporting performances of Stanley Tucci, Toby Jones, Elizabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson really bought this film to life and I have to say I was gripped from beginning to end. I would also go as far as to say that Jennifer Lawrence made much more of an impression on me in this film than she did in her Oscar-nominated role in Silver Linings Playbook.
The Kid with a Bike
Directors: Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
I wasn't expecting a great deal from this little French film but it ended up being a simple tale of lost childhood and trying to find your place in the world. It concerned twelve-year old Cyril a resident and a children's home who was convinced that his father would one day come for him something that never happened. Instead Cyril found a new home with a kindly hairdresser who looked after him yet hankered for something more and unfortunately fell under the influence of a local gang leader. The film was beautifully shot by the Dardenne brothers and stuck with me due to the great lead performances of Thomas Doret and Cecile De France.
Life of Pi
Director: Ang Lee
The award for most visually stunning film of the year must go to Ang Lee's Life of Pi or as I call it a boy, a boat and a tiger. From beginning to end the film lit up the screen with its cacophony of colour and stunning later scenes with starkly-lit marine life and an island full of meerkats. The reason why it's so low on the list is that I found it a little bit lacking in narrative depth and I felt Lee spent a little too long on the boat however the opening and closing of the film had plenty of character. All of the actors playing Pi were really compelling and overall I found this to be a great tale of survival and belief.
Marley
Director: Kevin MacDonald
It's fair to say that Kevin MacDonald knows his stuff when it comes to documentary making and after the brilliant Touching the Void comes this tribute to Bob Marley. You can tell from the offset that this is MacDonald's labour of love to his idol and despite its lengthy run time I never once felt bored. Instead I enjoyed listening to the story of Marley and more importantly hearing all of the music that the Marley family let MacDonald have the rights to. For me the only issue with the film was that it didn't dig deep enough into Marley's more aggressive side, only hinting at it in some sections, but other than that a great music biography of one of the icons of the industry who had a story that needed telling.
The Muppets
Director: James Bobin
It's easy to be sniffy about The Muppets but to me it was the best kids/family film of the year as it definitely appealed to both children and adults. It was clear that Jason Segal had a real love of The Muppets and wanted to do them justice with both his script and Brett Mackenzie's songs setting the right tone for the film. All of The Muppet performers were at the top of their game and a tear almost came to my eye when I heard 'The Rainbow Connection' while there was a lot of fun to be had from Chris Cooper's evil landlord. Overall this was a real reinvention for The Muppets and I just worry that their reputation will be tarnished by future sequels.
Nostalgia for the Light
Director: Patricio Guzman
A fascinating documentary focusing on both astronomy and the atrocities committed by Pinochet's regime in Chile. Guzman's film is set mainly in the Atacama Desert where women still search for crushed up bones of their loved ones while at the same time the film looks at the similarities between the desert and the surface of Mars. I think the reason I enjoyed Nostalgia for the Light is that it shone a light on a part of history that I knew nothing about while at the same time was phenomenal to look at. While it wasn't always the easiest of watches it was still a fascinating and eye-opening documentary made by someone who clearly has a passion for telling good stories.
Young Adult
Director: Jason Reitman
The reunion of Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody, the team behind Juno, passed a lot of people by and for me Young Adult didn't get the recognition it deserves. Cody took the criticism that she didn't write for young people and turned her latest character, Charlie Theron's author, into a young adult novelist meaning that she didn't talk or act her age. As well as being a fantastically written work it also featured Charlize Theron's best performance as the awful Mavis who actually has a lot of pain behind those stinging insults meanwhile Patton Oswalt put an awesome supporting turn as her unlikely new ally. While Young Adult didn't have the best of endings it was still one of the year's funniest films and should've got a bit more love than it actually did.
So there's another ten. Next time we hit the Top 20.
Sunday 20 January 2013
Top 50 Films of 2012: No.40 - 31
Here we are into the second part of our journey with a mixture of big budget favourites and some smaller films you may not have seen.
The Amazing Spider-Man
Director: Marc Webb
Kicking off a trio of superhero movies with one that really caught me by surprise as I wasn't expecting much from the spiderman reboot. What Marc Webb did was to add some real heart to Peter and Gwen and make them a more believable couple thanks in part to the performances from Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. While Peter was easier to like I also enjoyed how the film explored his parents and his relationship with his aunt and uncle here played by Sally Field and Martin Sheen. While the CGI spoilt matters I have to say I really enjoyed this film a lot more than I thought I would and am looking forward to future instalments in this franchise.
Avengers Assemble
Director: Joss Whedon
I feel like I'm in the minority in regards to the Avengers films as I haven't found them as amazing as everybody else seems to have done. With the exception of Iron Man, I thought they were all enjoyable in their own way but never really blew me away in the way I felt they should've done. To be fair to Avengers Assemble it was definitely the best of the bunch as it was sort of a greatest hits montage of all of the gang with Mark Ruffalo really impressing as The Hulk while once again Tom Hiddleston stole the show as Loki. In my mind the film fell down a little bit with the final battle which was far too long and a little over-indulgent. Overall though this was one of those films that did exactly what it said on the tin although I personally wanted something different to what was delivered here.
The Dark Knight Rises
Director: Christopher Nolan
As much as I love Christopher Nolan, with Inception being my favourite film two years ago, I can't help but think his Batman trilogy has been a little over-hyped. While I enjoyed both Batman Begins and Dark Knight I didn't go overboard in my praise of them as some did while I found the concluding part to the trilogy in The Dark Knight Rises a little disappointing. Despite that it still had a lot going for it from the fantastic visuals to the great performances from Christian Bale, Gary Oldman and Joseph Gorden-Levitt while Anne Hathaway's Catwoman also came into her own in the latter stages of the film. The reason why this film isn't higher in my list is that the ending was a little underwhelming considering what had come before but having said that I think that Nolan has changed the face of the summer blockbuster by making films that aren't created for idiots.
In Darkness
Director: Agnieszka Holland
From the comic book to the real life now for something a lot more serious but gripping nonetheless with Agnieszka Holland's mentally-draining In Darkness. The film is about a sewer inspector in occupied-Poland who hides families in his sewers away from the Nazis in return for a cash sum. Everything from the characterisation to the almost black shots of the sewers was incredibly stark and realistic however this wasn't a film you could particularly enjoy but rather admire. The best thing about In Darkness is that it really makes you think about what some of the families hiding from the Nazis went through and the mental and physical trauma they suffered while trying to escape the camps.
Juan of the Dead
Director: Alejandro Brugues
Initially Juan of the Dead could've been laughed off as another comedy zombie film, and indeed there are some hilarious sequences which involve the killing of the undead, however I felt Alejandro Brugues' film went deeper than that. As the film is set in Cuba, and the zombies are constantly referred to as dissidents, there are definitely political underpinnings throughout the film while there is also a sense that the rise of the zombies gives slacker Juan a chance to shine. Juan of the Dead had a lot going for it as was part comedy, part horror and part political satire with some great central characters thrown in for good measure. Though it did drag occasionally it left me with a big smile on my face and you can't say fairer than that.
Liberal Arts
Director: Josh Radnor
Best known as Ted from How I Met Your Mother, Josh Radnor's second film as writer and star is a wry look at growing up and trying to move on from the place you feel the most connected with. In the case of Radnor's Jesse it's his old college which he returns to for the retirement of an old professor and where he also meets current student Zibby, played by Elizabeth Olsen, with whom strikes up a friendship which develops into something more. Liberal Arts explores the themes of growing up, not dwelling too much on certain areas and holding someone up on a pedestal. While I found some plot devices a little contrived I did really connect with the themes and characters throughout and the supporting cast, which including Richard Jenkins and Alison Janney, was just superb.
Like Crazy
Director: Drake Doremus
One of the very first films I watched last year was Drake Doremus' semi-improvised drama about two young lovers who are constantly separated by circumstance. Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones play Jacob and Anna who meet at college and fall in love however the only problem is that she breaks her student visa and they rarely get to see each other. The film follows them over a number of years in which both find love elsewhere but keep returning to what was their strongest relationship despite the fact that they might not know each other anymore. Doremus' film was a thought-provoking piece which did have its dull moments but overall was an incredibly likeable piece with two very realistic performances from its two lead actors.
Magic Mike
Director: Steven Soderbergh
A film about male strippers starring the often wooden Channing Tatum didn't sound like an appealing prospect however I found Magic Mike to be one of my surprise favourites of the year. Thanks mostly to Soderbergh's direction, Tatum succeeds in making us like his everyman Mike someone who has taken to stripping in order to fund his furniture design store however he finds himself almost stuck in that world. Soderbergh's visual style perfectly lends itself to the seedy stripping scenes but once again it is Matthew McConaughey who steals the show as club promoter Dallas who is both rowdy showman and ruthless businessman. Though British actor Alex Pettyfer is a bit of a letdown as new stripper Adam overall Magic Mike is a well-acted, well-scripted film which I was really surprised how I much I liked.
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Director: Sean Durkin
More Elizabeth Olsen but this time she's a lot more haunted as she plays Martha a young girl taken in by a cult who she falls for only to escape when she learns their true motives. The film follows two different timelines one with Martha being taken in by the cult and the other in which she tries to adjust to life with her sister and her husband with the latter story being my favourite. While the visual style totally suited the story I really enjoyed Olsen's performance while John Hawkes was equally striking as the sinister cult leader.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Director: Stephen Chbosky
Ending this chapter with yet another indie film and another surprise as I really connected with this story of the high school outsider and his efforts to find friends for the first time. Though it was a little issue-laden The Perks of Being a Wallflower gave us many great performances notably from Ezra Miller as the outrageous but unhappy Patrick in a role that was a lot more likeable than the one he previously played in We Need to Talk About Kevin. This film really struck a chord with anyone, like me, who's ever felt like an outsider while the soundtrack was top notch and even Emma Watson was able to expel memories of Hermione Granger with her performance as the messed-up Sam.
Next time we have crossbows, tigers, bikes and maniacal laughs to look forward to so I'll see you then.
The Amazing Spider-Man
Director: Marc Webb
Kicking off a trio of superhero movies with one that really caught me by surprise as I wasn't expecting much from the spiderman reboot. What Marc Webb did was to add some real heart to Peter and Gwen and make them a more believable couple thanks in part to the performances from Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone. While Peter was easier to like I also enjoyed how the film explored his parents and his relationship with his aunt and uncle here played by Sally Field and Martin Sheen. While the CGI spoilt matters I have to say I really enjoyed this film a lot more than I thought I would and am looking forward to future instalments in this franchise.
Avengers Assemble
Director: Joss Whedon
I feel like I'm in the minority in regards to the Avengers films as I haven't found them as amazing as everybody else seems to have done. With the exception of Iron Man, I thought they were all enjoyable in their own way but never really blew me away in the way I felt they should've done. To be fair to Avengers Assemble it was definitely the best of the bunch as it was sort of a greatest hits montage of all of the gang with Mark Ruffalo really impressing as The Hulk while once again Tom Hiddleston stole the show as Loki. In my mind the film fell down a little bit with the final battle which was far too long and a little over-indulgent. Overall though this was one of those films that did exactly what it said on the tin although I personally wanted something different to what was delivered here.
The Dark Knight Rises
Director: Christopher Nolan
As much as I love Christopher Nolan, with Inception being my favourite film two years ago, I can't help but think his Batman trilogy has been a little over-hyped. While I enjoyed both Batman Begins and Dark Knight I didn't go overboard in my praise of them as some did while I found the concluding part to the trilogy in The Dark Knight Rises a little disappointing. Despite that it still had a lot going for it from the fantastic visuals to the great performances from Christian Bale, Gary Oldman and Joseph Gorden-Levitt while Anne Hathaway's Catwoman also came into her own in the latter stages of the film. The reason why this film isn't higher in my list is that the ending was a little underwhelming considering what had come before but having said that I think that Nolan has changed the face of the summer blockbuster by making films that aren't created for idiots.
In Darkness
Director: Agnieszka Holland
From the comic book to the real life now for something a lot more serious but gripping nonetheless with Agnieszka Holland's mentally-draining In Darkness. The film is about a sewer inspector in occupied-Poland who hides families in his sewers away from the Nazis in return for a cash sum. Everything from the characterisation to the almost black shots of the sewers was incredibly stark and realistic however this wasn't a film you could particularly enjoy but rather admire. The best thing about In Darkness is that it really makes you think about what some of the families hiding from the Nazis went through and the mental and physical trauma they suffered while trying to escape the camps.
Juan of the Dead
Director: Alejandro Brugues
Initially Juan of the Dead could've been laughed off as another comedy zombie film, and indeed there are some hilarious sequences which involve the killing of the undead, however I felt Alejandro Brugues' film went deeper than that. As the film is set in Cuba, and the zombies are constantly referred to as dissidents, there are definitely political underpinnings throughout the film while there is also a sense that the rise of the zombies gives slacker Juan a chance to shine. Juan of the Dead had a lot going for it as was part comedy, part horror and part political satire with some great central characters thrown in for good measure. Though it did drag occasionally it left me with a big smile on my face and you can't say fairer than that.
Liberal Arts
Director: Josh Radnor
Best known as Ted from How I Met Your Mother, Josh Radnor's second film as writer and star is a wry look at growing up and trying to move on from the place you feel the most connected with. In the case of Radnor's Jesse it's his old college which he returns to for the retirement of an old professor and where he also meets current student Zibby, played by Elizabeth Olsen, with whom strikes up a friendship which develops into something more. Liberal Arts explores the themes of growing up, not dwelling too much on certain areas and holding someone up on a pedestal. While I found some plot devices a little contrived I did really connect with the themes and characters throughout and the supporting cast, which including Richard Jenkins and Alison Janney, was just superb.
Like Crazy
Director: Drake Doremus
One of the very first films I watched last year was Drake Doremus' semi-improvised drama about two young lovers who are constantly separated by circumstance. Anton Yelchin and Felicity Jones play Jacob and Anna who meet at college and fall in love however the only problem is that she breaks her student visa and they rarely get to see each other. The film follows them over a number of years in which both find love elsewhere but keep returning to what was their strongest relationship despite the fact that they might not know each other anymore. Doremus' film was a thought-provoking piece which did have its dull moments but overall was an incredibly likeable piece with two very realistic performances from its two lead actors.
Magic Mike
Director: Steven Soderbergh
A film about male strippers starring the often wooden Channing Tatum didn't sound like an appealing prospect however I found Magic Mike to be one of my surprise favourites of the year. Thanks mostly to Soderbergh's direction, Tatum succeeds in making us like his everyman Mike someone who has taken to stripping in order to fund his furniture design store however he finds himself almost stuck in that world. Soderbergh's visual style perfectly lends itself to the seedy stripping scenes but once again it is Matthew McConaughey who steals the show as club promoter Dallas who is both rowdy showman and ruthless businessman. Though British actor Alex Pettyfer is a bit of a letdown as new stripper Adam overall Magic Mike is a well-acted, well-scripted film which I was really surprised how I much I liked.
Martha Marcy May Marlene
Director: Sean Durkin
More Elizabeth Olsen but this time she's a lot more haunted as she plays Martha a young girl taken in by a cult who she falls for only to escape when she learns their true motives. The film follows two different timelines one with Martha being taken in by the cult and the other in which she tries to adjust to life with her sister and her husband with the latter story being my favourite. While the visual style totally suited the story I really enjoyed Olsen's performance while John Hawkes was equally striking as the sinister cult leader.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Director: Stephen Chbosky
Ending this chapter with yet another indie film and another surprise as I really connected with this story of the high school outsider and his efforts to find friends for the first time. Though it was a little issue-laden The Perks of Being a Wallflower gave us many great performances notably from Ezra Miller as the outrageous but unhappy Patrick in a role that was a lot more likeable than the one he previously played in We Need to Talk About Kevin. This film really struck a chord with anyone, like me, who's ever felt like an outsider while the soundtrack was top notch and even Emma Watson was able to expel memories of Hermione Granger with her performance as the messed-up Sam.
Next time we have crossbows, tigers, bikes and maniacal laughs to look forward to so I'll see you then.
Top 50 Films of 2012: No.50 - 41
So here we are at the end of the year and after seeing so many great films in 2012 I thought a Top 25 wouldn't suffice so instead I present my Top 50 in all its glory and without further ado here's the first instalment.
21 Jump Street
Directors: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
When I went to see 21 Jump Street I really wasn't expecting that much as it seemed to be just an average buddy comedy with one star in Channing Tatum whose acting talents hadn't exactly wowed me in the past. Imagine my surprise when this turned out to be a very funny comedy but also one that was quite charming as it looked at the friendship formed between the characters played by Tatum and Jonah Hill and how is altered once they went undercover at a high school. Obviously there was the usual mindless filthy gags but there was a real attention played to both the characters and the plot while Tatum surprised me and I think he's found his calling as the well-meaning dumb one in comedy duos.
Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel
Director: Alex Stapleton
There were several good films about film-makers this year but Corman's World stood head and shoulders above the rest due to the level of talking heads involved and the influence that Corman had and still has over contemporary directors. As us cinephiles now many directors, including Martin Scorsese and Ron Howard, honed their crafts working on Corman's low-budget masterpieces while several actors including Jack Nicholson also received their big break. Alex Stapleton's film also digs deeper into the life of the man to reveal someone who wanted to make more issue-led movies but realised there was no money in that and also follows him as he picks up his well-deserved life time achievement Oscar.
End of Watch
Director: David Ayer
David Ayer has made a career out of writing and directing gritty cop films always to a varying degree of success which is evidenced by the fact he wrote both Training Day and S.W.A.T. End of Watch though might just be his masterpiece as it takes us through the streets of LA and is mostly shot on hand-held camera as we are led to believe that Jake Gyllenhaal's Brian Taylor is filming his day-to-day life for a film studies project. What Ayer does so successfully is combine the usual action and foul language of his usual films with two characters that feel real as both Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena bring life to the officers they play. By the final scenes I had found myself completely caught up in the story and was completely shocked by the ending which proves just how much of a connection Ayer makes the audience have with his characters.
Goodbye First Love
Director: Mia Hansen-Love
Following up the tragic Father of My Children, Mia Hansen-Love's newest film Goodbye First Love looks at the perils of falling deeply in love when you're still young. Eighteen Year Old Lola Creton was a revelation as Camille who falls head over heels in love with the older Sullivan only for him to abandon her and head off on a holiday with his friends. The film follows the relationship between the pair over the next ten years as they enter different relationships but are always drawn back to their first loves at the end of the day. Apart from the performances, the most memorable film about Goodbye First Love is definitely the cinematography from Stephane Fontane who provides stunning tracking shots of the French countryside, when the couple are younger, as well as the city-scapes which represents the couple when they are older. While there wasn't much in terms of narrative structure this was a gorgeous film that any of us who've ever been in love can identify with in some way.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Director: Peter Jackson
It may be overlong and didn't need to be part of a trilogy but the fact still remains that Peter Jackson's latest foray into Middle Earth is as visually stunning as ever. The performances from Martin Freeman and Aidan Turner perfectly captured the essence of their characters and the scenes featuring Andy Serkis as Gollum reminded us why we loved the original Lord of the Rings films so much in the first place. There was also more of a playful sense here which made this more of a family film than the Lord of the Rings epics which made it all the more enjoyable. While there could've been a bit more editing involved there's no denying that this is one of the most beautifully shot films of the year and that's why it makes the list.
Holy Motors
Director: Leos Carax
I think a failure to connect emotionally with Leos Carax's surreal film stopped it from appearing higher on the list but a film as strikingly original as this still deserves to be recognised among this year's best. Following Dennis Lavant's businessman Mr Oscar on a ride around the city we see him transform his identity several times to play everything from caring family man to a flower-guzzling beast. The oddest sequence of all is a love song scene featuring Kylie Minogue of all people which adds to the oddness of the overall film. It was this odd plot structure and intriguing ending that really stayed with me and stood Holy Motors out as one of the most interesting films of the year if not one of the best
Killer Joe
Director: William Friedkin
At times not an easy watch, Friedkin's Killer Joe is still an incredibly blackly comic look at a Hillbilly family in need of money and the hitman who they hire to get it. Tracy Letts' screenplay was brilliant building up the tension and simple plot perfectly over a number of scenes building up to the fabulously disgusting fried chicken scene in the final act. Matthew McConaughey, who'll feature again on this list later on, was perfect as the Man with No Name type central character while Juno Temple gave the film some heart as the delightfully simple Dottie. While I don't feel that the film had a consistent structure what I did like was each character felt well-drawn and that the performances felt genuine something I can't say about all of the films I have seen this year.
The Queen of Versailles
Director: Lauren Greenfield
It's fair to say that this has been an excellent year for documentaries, three feature in this segment alone, and this one about a billionaire and his trophy wife was a case in point. Initially a film about timeshare magnate David Siegel building America's biggest house for his wife Jackie the film later developed into a look at the economic crisis after Siegel's business went under and he refused to claim bankruptcy while he had to put up the beloved Versailles for sale. This was a really interesting film, and one the Siegels tried to ban, which I don't think enough people saw which is a shame as it was a fascinating insight into the division between rich and poor how the current financial climate can impact on anyone.
Ted
Director: Seth MacFarlane
A consistently funny debut film from Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane who voices the titular Teddy Bear who comes to life after a wish from his young owner. Roping in mates Mila Kunis and Mark Wahlberg to play the main human characters MacFarlane's comedy is surprisingly sweet in places even though a subplot involving Giovanni Ribisi's kidnapper doesn't really go anywhere. It's rare these days to get a comedy as funny as Ted and anything that can feature both Mark Wahlberg singing the theme from Octopussy and Flash Gordon getting into a fight with a Chinese landlord is okay with me.
You've Been Trumped
Director: Anthony Baxter
Sometimes documentary films really get to you and Anthony Baxter's feature about Donald Trump's quest to build an elite golf course in Glasgow did just that. Baxter befriends the locals whose houses need to be demolished in order to make way for the golf course and learns of the dubious methods that Trump's cronies employ in order to get him out of the house. Baxter himself becomes part of the film after discovering just how far up Trump's allies go while the locals themselves start to film the devastation that Trump's plans are bringing. Baxter's film is essentially about the little man standing up to the big guy but more than that it's an exploration of how much power money can actually buy someone.
I'll be back soon with the next ten on the list which will feature more documentaries plus a number of superhero movies.
21 Jump Street
Directors: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller
When I went to see 21 Jump Street I really wasn't expecting that much as it seemed to be just an average buddy comedy with one star in Channing Tatum whose acting talents hadn't exactly wowed me in the past. Imagine my surprise when this turned out to be a very funny comedy but also one that was quite charming as it looked at the friendship formed between the characters played by Tatum and Jonah Hill and how is altered once they went undercover at a high school. Obviously there was the usual mindless filthy gags but there was a real attention played to both the characters and the plot while Tatum surprised me and I think he's found his calling as the well-meaning dumb one in comedy duos.
Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel
Director: Alex Stapleton
There were several good films about film-makers this year but Corman's World stood head and shoulders above the rest due to the level of talking heads involved and the influence that Corman had and still has over contemporary directors. As us cinephiles now many directors, including Martin Scorsese and Ron Howard, honed their crafts working on Corman's low-budget masterpieces while several actors including Jack Nicholson also received their big break. Alex Stapleton's film also digs deeper into the life of the man to reveal someone who wanted to make more issue-led movies but realised there was no money in that and also follows him as he picks up his well-deserved life time achievement Oscar.
End of Watch
Director: David Ayer
David Ayer has made a career out of writing and directing gritty cop films always to a varying degree of success which is evidenced by the fact he wrote both Training Day and S.W.A.T. End of Watch though might just be his masterpiece as it takes us through the streets of LA and is mostly shot on hand-held camera as we are led to believe that Jake Gyllenhaal's Brian Taylor is filming his day-to-day life for a film studies project. What Ayer does so successfully is combine the usual action and foul language of his usual films with two characters that feel real as both Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena bring life to the officers they play. By the final scenes I had found myself completely caught up in the story and was completely shocked by the ending which proves just how much of a connection Ayer makes the audience have with his characters.
Goodbye First Love
Director: Mia Hansen-Love
Following up the tragic Father of My Children, Mia Hansen-Love's newest film Goodbye First Love looks at the perils of falling deeply in love when you're still young. Eighteen Year Old Lola Creton was a revelation as Camille who falls head over heels in love with the older Sullivan only for him to abandon her and head off on a holiday with his friends. The film follows the relationship between the pair over the next ten years as they enter different relationships but are always drawn back to their first loves at the end of the day. Apart from the performances, the most memorable film about Goodbye First Love is definitely the cinematography from Stephane Fontane who provides stunning tracking shots of the French countryside, when the couple are younger, as well as the city-scapes which represents the couple when they are older. While there wasn't much in terms of narrative structure this was a gorgeous film that any of us who've ever been in love can identify with in some way.
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Director: Peter Jackson
It may be overlong and didn't need to be part of a trilogy but the fact still remains that Peter Jackson's latest foray into Middle Earth is as visually stunning as ever. The performances from Martin Freeman and Aidan Turner perfectly captured the essence of their characters and the scenes featuring Andy Serkis as Gollum reminded us why we loved the original Lord of the Rings films so much in the first place. There was also more of a playful sense here which made this more of a family film than the Lord of the Rings epics which made it all the more enjoyable. While there could've been a bit more editing involved there's no denying that this is one of the most beautifully shot films of the year and that's why it makes the list.
Holy Motors
Director: Leos Carax
I think a failure to connect emotionally with Leos Carax's surreal film stopped it from appearing higher on the list but a film as strikingly original as this still deserves to be recognised among this year's best. Following Dennis Lavant's businessman Mr Oscar on a ride around the city we see him transform his identity several times to play everything from caring family man to a flower-guzzling beast. The oddest sequence of all is a love song scene featuring Kylie Minogue of all people which adds to the oddness of the overall film. It was this odd plot structure and intriguing ending that really stayed with me and stood Holy Motors out as one of the most interesting films of the year if not one of the best
Killer Joe
Director: William Friedkin
At times not an easy watch, Friedkin's Killer Joe is still an incredibly blackly comic look at a Hillbilly family in need of money and the hitman who they hire to get it. Tracy Letts' screenplay was brilliant building up the tension and simple plot perfectly over a number of scenes building up to the fabulously disgusting fried chicken scene in the final act. Matthew McConaughey, who'll feature again on this list later on, was perfect as the Man with No Name type central character while Juno Temple gave the film some heart as the delightfully simple Dottie. While I don't feel that the film had a consistent structure what I did like was each character felt well-drawn and that the performances felt genuine something I can't say about all of the films I have seen this year.
The Queen of Versailles
Director: Lauren Greenfield
It's fair to say that this has been an excellent year for documentaries, three feature in this segment alone, and this one about a billionaire and his trophy wife was a case in point. Initially a film about timeshare magnate David Siegel building America's biggest house for his wife Jackie the film later developed into a look at the economic crisis after Siegel's business went under and he refused to claim bankruptcy while he had to put up the beloved Versailles for sale. This was a really interesting film, and one the Siegels tried to ban, which I don't think enough people saw which is a shame as it was a fascinating insight into the division between rich and poor how the current financial climate can impact on anyone.
Ted
Director: Seth MacFarlane
A consistently funny debut film from Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane who voices the titular Teddy Bear who comes to life after a wish from his young owner. Roping in mates Mila Kunis and Mark Wahlberg to play the main human characters MacFarlane's comedy is surprisingly sweet in places even though a subplot involving Giovanni Ribisi's kidnapper doesn't really go anywhere. It's rare these days to get a comedy as funny as Ted and anything that can feature both Mark Wahlberg singing the theme from Octopussy and Flash Gordon getting into a fight with a Chinese landlord is okay with me.
You've Been Trumped
Director: Anthony Baxter
Sometimes documentary films really get to you and Anthony Baxter's feature about Donald Trump's quest to build an elite golf course in Glasgow did just that. Baxter befriends the locals whose houses need to be demolished in order to make way for the golf course and learns of the dubious methods that Trump's cronies employ in order to get him out of the house. Baxter himself becomes part of the film after discovering just how far up Trump's allies go while the locals themselves start to film the devastation that Trump's plans are bringing. Baxter's film is essentially about the little man standing up to the big guy but more than that it's an exploration of how much power money can actually buy someone.
I'll be back soon with the next ten on the list which will feature more documentaries plus a number of superhero movies.
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