My top 13 films of 2012
Jan. 4th, 2013 07:22 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shallownessThese are in the order I saw them, not preference.
The Artist - A film for everyone, but especially film-lovers, this affectionate and clever black and white silent movie looks at the time when silent movies were upstaged by talkies.
Margin Call - Genuinely dramatic, intelligent and urgent thriller for adults about the lead-in to and the day of reckoning for a bunch of investment bankers.
Haywire - I was seduced by the coolness of credible operative Mallory Kane going after the guys who set her up and tried to kill her.
The Hunger Games - I hadn’t read the book, but this adaptation about the awful things done to and by these young people in a dystopian future and the survival of its protagonist (excellently played by Lawrence) really got to me.
Avengers Assemble - The story of how these superheroes (all of whom had their moments) became a team was fun, emotionally resonant and smart. One of the rides of the year.
The Amazing Spider-man - I’m still not sure it was necessary, but there was much to enjoy in this well-cast and acted, kinetic and exciting reboot.
The Bourne Legacy - While not quite reaching the heights of its predecessors, I cared about the characters, found many of the ideas in this film interesting, plus there was the action (and Jeremy Renner’s arms).
Brave - This was a heart-felt, beautiful film about a daughter and her mother and what girls want to be when they grow up, WHICH SHOULDN’T BE SUCH A REFRESHING CHANGE. It’s not quite up there with Pixar’s best, but still deserves it’s place in this list.
Dredd - Dark, taut, ultra-violent fun. Ahem. (Rated 18)
Looper - This is not the best film of 2012 (or even Rian Johnson’s best work), actually, but it is a clever sci-fi film that treas time travel and its implications and audience fairly seriously.
Beasts of the Southern Wild - Astounding, powerful, rough-and-ready fable.
The Hobbit – An Unexpected Journey - Adventure! Humour! Achingly beautiful Middle Earth. Embellishments that were not the disaster I was expecting.
Pitch Perfect – Better and funnier than I was hoping it would be (apparently I have to love a film that calls misogyny and deploys projectile vomiting so cleverly).
The Dark Knight Rises didn’t quite make it on this list, although I enjoyed it more the second time around. I also went to see The Hunger Games, Avengers Assemble and The Hobbit twice, but overall went to the cinema slightly less this year than last.
Previous lists can be found here.
The Artist - A film for everyone, but especially film-lovers, this affectionate and clever black and white silent movie looks at the time when silent movies were upstaged by talkies.
Margin Call - Genuinely dramatic, intelligent and urgent thriller for adults about the lead-in to and the day of reckoning for a bunch of investment bankers.
Haywire - I was seduced by the coolness of credible operative Mallory Kane going after the guys who set her up and tried to kill her.
The Hunger Games - I hadn’t read the book, but this adaptation about the awful things done to and by these young people in a dystopian future and the survival of its protagonist (excellently played by Lawrence) really got to me.
Avengers Assemble - The story of how these superheroes (all of whom had their moments) became a team was fun, emotionally resonant and smart. One of the rides of the year.
The Amazing Spider-man - I’m still not sure it was necessary, but there was much to enjoy in this well-cast and acted, kinetic and exciting reboot.
The Bourne Legacy - While not quite reaching the heights of its predecessors, I cared about the characters, found many of the ideas in this film interesting, plus there was the action (and Jeremy Renner’s arms).
Brave - This was a heart-felt, beautiful film about a daughter and her mother and what girls want to be when they grow up, WHICH SHOULDN’T BE SUCH A REFRESHING CHANGE. It’s not quite up there with Pixar’s best, but still deserves it’s place in this list.
Dredd - Dark, taut, ultra-violent fun. Ahem. (Rated 18)
Looper - This is not the best film of 2012 (or even Rian Johnson’s best work), actually, but it is a clever sci-fi film that treas time travel and its implications and audience fairly seriously.
Beasts of the Southern Wild - Astounding, powerful, rough-and-ready fable.
The Hobbit – An Unexpected Journey - Adventure! Humour! Achingly beautiful Middle Earth. Embellishments that were not the disaster I was expecting.
Pitch Perfect – Better and funnier than I was hoping it would be (apparently I have to love a film that calls misogyny and deploys projectile vomiting so cleverly).
The Dark Knight Rises didn’t quite make it on this list, although I enjoyed it more the second time around. I also went to see The Hunger Games, Avengers Assemble and The Hobbit twice, but overall went to the cinema slightly less this year than last.
Previous lists can be found here.
