Top 5 Films of 2012

In my opinion, these are the 5 best films that 2012 had to offer. Keep in mind - I haven't seen every movie that came out this year, so consider this a layman's perspective.

(*Honorable Mentions - The Avengers, The Cabin in the Woods, Dredd, Frankenweenie, The Hunger Games, The Life of Pi, Looper, The Raid: Redemption, Silver Linings Playbook, 21 Jump Street) 
  

5.) Skyfall: Whether you love James Bond or hate him, whether you've seen all 23 movies or none at all, Skyfall is without question one of 2012's very best films. The plot is twisty, the performances are fascinating (particularly Javier Bardem's turn as the villain, and Berenice Marlohe as the obligatory Bond Girl), the dialogue sparkles, and the special effects are fantastic. Perhaps most captivating, though, is the film's cinematography. In the midst of heavy action, of which there is a lot, the film often pulls back, showcasing the sepia-toned streets of Istanbul, the drizzly skyline of London, or the vibrant glow of Shanghai. These beautifully framed shots render the film grand yet somehow intimate, like great action movies, Bond or not, always do. This is a terrific exercise in technical film making - a polished blockbuster made with just enough grit and finesse to make it spectacular.

4.) Lincoln: This is a surprising film. Of course I was expecting it to be good - it's great, in fact - but I hadn't a clue as to what the plot would be. There's so much potential when making a movie about Abraham Lincoln, especially with Spielberg at the helm and so many terrific actors and technicians keeping it afloat, the possibilities were practically endless. Secession? The Civil War? The assassination? While this incredible movie tackles all these topics (with a naturalism and grace that only veteran filmmakers seem capable of), the plot focuses almost exclusively on the creation and ratification of the 13th Amendment, which would outlaw slavery in the US. Consequently, the movie plays out like a taut political thriller.

And yet, it's a quiet movie. There are countless scenes of soft sunlight falling into dank offices, and the score by John Williams is characterized by a lilting piano etude, which drips atop the overcast setting like quiet rain. Sure there are great performances (Sally Field and Tommy Lee Jones steal the show), but none are overacted, none are verbose. This is a powerful film related with understated gravity. It's elegant and subtle. Like Lincoln, himself.  

3.) Django Unchained: Out of the bold mind of Quentin Tarantino, writer/director of such gems as Pulp Fiction and Inglourious Basterds, comes this delicious western about love, loss, and redemption in the pre-Civil War plantations of the American South. While the plot focuses on the horrors of slavery, of which Tarantino slathers onto the screen with a cinematic paintbrush soaked in blood, the tone is lively, with dialogue and action that is often laugh-out-loud funny. This discomfited pairing is the best part of the movie. From scene to scene, you don't know if you'll be chuckling or covering your eyes, which makes for a fascinating and unique viewing experience. The characters are riveting, particularly our 3 leads: determined Django (played with authoritative weight by Jamie Foxx), "noble" Dr. Schultz (as performed deftly by Chistoph Waltz), and despicable Calvin Candie (played viciously by Leonardo DiCaprio). Watching these 3 characters interact is my favorite part of the movie - each are portrayed with such dimension and depth that it's hard not to be astounded. However, there's much to be astounded by in Django Unchained. It's a delirious, wicked, and oddly playful film.   

  

2.) The Dark Knight Rises: To put it plainly and simply - this is a fantastic film. Not only is it "more than a superhero movie," it's more than "more than." It's a symphony of varying contexts, themes, and styles all blended harmoniously into one. This is the epitome of contemporary cinema - a film of excitement, tragedy, and wonder.   

In terms of plot, it simultaneously reflects and interrogates the culture that created it. We watch as Bruce Wayne/Batman (for there is no separation now - both characters are molded into one) squares off against a masked terrorist called "Bane" - a hulking behemoth whose lofty proletarian manifesto forces us to examine current social unrest. Whether Bane's actions suggest the flimsiness of interdependence or the hypocrisy of the upper class is entirely up to the viewer. Nonetheless, the story is a powerful brew, both spellbinding and introspective.    

Technically, it balances the contrasting counterweights of innovation and understatement. Director Christopher Nolan enjoys the reality of practical special effects. As a result, most of the movie's visuals were tediously engineered and executed without relying on computers to shoulder the load, and the results are breathtaking. Instead of digitally creating a giant crowd of warring cops and thugs, he employed thousands of extras to actually do battle in the streets - harkening back to the early decades of film, when epic productions like Intolerance and Gone With the Wind would have casts of hundreds. Big action scenes and set pieces feel real because they really are, which is a true feat.

Thematically, it's a post-modern treat. There is a classical arc, in which we see Bruce/Batman struggling to find his purpose (the underground prison is a terrific extension of his childhood trappings, both in physical design and symbolic inclination), but there is so much more. The movie is literally packed with themes, perhaps to the detriment of its storytelling. In fact, I've read several reviews that complain about the cluttered nature of the narrative, that the numerous themes detract from the potency of the film. I disagree. The movie's outward plot revolves around the horrors of chaos (pursued by Bane and other villains) and how its frenetic nature is torturous to the mind and spirit. How fascinating that all the competing themes mirror this idea! Trying to read through the competing morals and ideologies inherently forces you to make sense out of chaos, to establish order out of intellectual anarchy. In my opinion, this is the film's 2nd best attribute - this intertwining of form and function. 

...the 1st?

Well, it's just a great movie.

Fun action, terrific performances (notably from Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, and Michael Caine), a cool musical score, and intriguing story lines. It's the perfect conclusion to Nolan's Batman trilogy, and almost the best movie of 2012.

1.) Argo: If you're addicted to tense thrillers, ones wrought with nail-biting suspense and palpitation-inducing close calls, then Ben Affleck's historical docudrama Argo will be an overly-satisfying fix.  A movie about the Iran Hostage Crisis is bound to be exciting, but thanks to Affleck's artful directing, it feels positively urgent. The editing is seamless, and the gritty cinematography gives the film a true non-fictional quality, making it feel more like live news-feed than a big-budget blockbuster. Thanks to the realistic conflict and characters, this is a deeply unsettling movie. Thanks to the brazen creativity of one CIA agent, it's also a cathartic one.

Because catharsis is really what it's all about. After the smoke had cleared, after the film came to a halt and the credits began to roll, I was bolted to my seat. Throughout the course of the movie I had actually forgotten that this was all history - all the events predetermined, all the actors simply stand-ins for actual human beings. This is why Argo is the best film of the year. The power of the storytelling, the gravity of the situation, the focused conviction of everyone involved: all these things coalesce into a beautiful, compelling, stunning motion picture. Movies like this aren't made very often anymore. Cherish them.