2012 sure was interesting. A fake apocalypse, a real nail-biter of an election, and a whole lot of variety in the multiplex. I was really excited going into the year, and at the end of it, I am not disappointed. This year brought a return to Gotham City, Middle-Earth, even the Men in Black and the movie musical. Familiar characters and places were re-imagined, and original places were discovered. The greatest filmmakers alive showed their true colors, and numerous doors were opened for the future.
Here are the films that made 2012 memorable, for good or for worse.
A reminder that these are limited to the films I saw, and they are by no means exclusive. The found-footage superhero movie Chronicle just barely didn't make the cut- I thought it was a fantastic spin on two tired genres, but the competition was fierce and it got elbowed out. And even though the final Twilight movie came out, it misses out on the worst films list because there seemed to be a lack of hatred for this installment. (Maybe everyone was just glad the franchise is over!) I am also by no means a critic, but as a lover of all genres I tend to think I represent the average moviegoer pretty well.
Best Movies of the Year
10. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Peter Jackson's first part in his Middle-Earth prequel trilogy got mixed reviews and a lot of criticism for its high frame rate (I did not see the film in this version), but honestly, I was not disappointed. Sure, it can't hold a candle to The Lord of the Rings, and sure the film is slow going in the first half hour. (What was the point of the scene with Frodo and old Bilbo? It seemed to exist solely to bring back two familiar actors.) But the film picks up momentum from there, and turns out to be exciting and full of heart, with the best part easily being the tense riddle-game between Bilbo and the creature Gollum. Can't wait for the reveal of Smaug in part 2!
9. The Amazing Spider-Man
This was a horrible idea for a movie- reboot a franchise that's only ten years old. The idea is familiar and it would feel like beating a dead horse. The only way it would possibly work is if the movie were really, really good. Luckily, it was. Finding a humor and heart that was lacking from the first Spider-Man with Tobey Maguire, this version with Andrew Garfield actually discovered some new territory for this universe to explore. Not to mention the film's best move was to feature the wonderful Emma Stone as the new love interest.
8. Cloud Atlas
An unfortunate flop, this will undoubtedly end up being a cult classic. The most ambitious movie of the year (from the Wachowski siblings) followed six different storylines in six different timelines... and became six different genres. A swashbuckling adventure at sea, a tragic love story, a futuristic sci-fi adventure, a post-apocalyptic fantasy, a journalistic caper, and (most surprisingly) a modern-day British comedy all combine to tell one story of souls coming into contact with each other throughout time. The film demands to be watched multiple times to understand all the intricate connections and discover each actor's many roles. If you haven't seen this film, do yourself a favor and rent it. It has something for everyone.
7. 21 Jump Street
It's every adult's worst nightmare- going back to high school. Two undercover cops do just that in this hilarious comedy-action film that showcases a newly buff Jonah Hill and a surprisingly adept Channing Tatum, starring for once in a movie that guys would see. Bonus points for the year's best cameo appearance, from none other than Johnny Depp, who starred in the TV show on which the film is based.
6. Django Unchained
Gonzo director Quentin Tarantino's newest film is pretty similar to Inglourious Basterds- long periods of dialogue followed by intense and bloody action and surprising humor. Sure there are slow parts, but they always pay off in some way. One of the year's best casts includes Jamie Foxx as the stoic title character, the incomparable Christoph Waltz (who won an Oscar for Basterds) once again playing a very talky character, Leonardo DiCaprio playing against type as the slimy villain, and Samuel L. Jackson playing an old geezer slave who is loyal to his master to the very end. Be sure to stay through the closing credits.
5. The Hunger Games
One of the most anticipated films of the year was a very dark adult movie disguised as a kid's film. Based on the immensely popular book, Panem was brought to glorious life by director Gary Ross and the great cast, led by Jennifer Lawrence (one of the best actresses of her generation) and Josh Hutcherson. Intense, heartbreaking, and very satisfying for fans. Can't wait for the sequels.
4. The Cabin in the Woods
Another movie that very few people saw. A horror-comedy in the Scream vein combined the humor and genius of Joss Whedon with every horror cliche you've ever seen in a movie, to create an awesome and unique experience. The plot is simple: five friends go to a cabin in the woods, where they discover weird stuff in the basement and accidentally summon monsters who kill them off one by one. Of course, that's just the first act. Because someone is watching their every move. To reveal any more than that would be unthinkable- the film must be seen, spoiler-free. The only thing that compromises it is that ending. Brilliantly bold or a big cheat? You decide.
3. The Dark Knight Rises
The follow-up to the immensely successful The Dark Knight wasn't nearly as good as its predecessor, but being a Christopher Nolan film, it's still a masterpiece. The third and final Batman film ups the stakes to unbelievable levels and pushes not only our hero, but the entirety of Gotham City, to the very edge, and makes them crawl to get back up. Tom Hardy as Bane gave one of the year's most memorable performances. ("Now Doctor, now is not the time for fear. That comes later.") An immensely satisfying end to the trilogy.
2. The Avengers
A risky experiment done absolutely the right way- six superheroes from four different franchises are brought together to work as a team. This isn't Superfriends. They bicker, they pick fights, and they are not organized. Under the direction of "the master" Joss Whedon, the film is visually stunning, incredibly exciting, and not at all what you'd expect. Everyone has their favorite character (the Hulk is moving up in popularity).
Now, why Avengers over Dark Knight? It was difficult, and I went back and forth about it, but ultimately the former has something the latter doesn't have- a sense of fun.
1. Skyfall
For James Bond's 50th anniversary on the big screen, Sam Mendes and Daniel Craig managed to redefine a character everyone thought we already knew- and showed us a whole new side of him. This movie presents us with a Bond who is broken, someone who can be injured, intimidated, maybe even killed. And still manages to kick ass like no other. Bringing in Javier Bardem as the best villain of the year (how about that rat monologue?), and putting Judi Dench's M front and center (who are we kidding, she was the real Bond girl!) were smart choices that paid off. An ending that brings us back to the series' roots leaves you salivating for the next installment.
This makes the top spot on the list because I absolutely wouldn't change a thing.
Honorable Mention: Argo
Ben Affleck returns to the director's chair for his best film yet- the unbelievably true story of the CIA getting out six refugees from the Iran hostage crisis. Mixing real-world politics, unbearable suspense, and a surprising injection of humor all come out to make a grade-A thriller.
Worst Movies of the Year
5. Les Miserables
That title doesn't describe the people in the movie- it describes the people in the audience.
The Academy needs to understand that a well-made film isn't the same thing as a good movie. This was a very well-made film with beautiful sets and costumes and a believable sense of time and place. It was even a well-acted film, especially from the lead Hugh Jackman. But having virtually every line of the movie sung was a huge mistake that alienates the viewers and actually distances the emotion instead of making it real. The singing was so prevalent that it actually sounded strange when they spoke normal dialogue (which was for about two minutes, all total.) What's more, the film goes on forever. This should have stayed on the stage.
4. Men in Black 3
People will disagree with me on this one, but as a fan of the first film, I was really disappointed by the trilogy capper. What should have been a fun time-travel storyline was just an exercise in tedium and strangeness that not even Will Smith's charisma or Josh Brolin's good performance could save. And Tommy Lee Jones, despite his very small amount of screen time (and the ten years between the second and third films), looks like he doesn't want to be in this film at all. Maybe he shouldn't have been.
3. John Carter
Not only the worst box-office bomb of the year, but one of the worst of all time. This movie did so poorly the CEO of Disney had to resign following its release. It should have been interesting- a Civil War vet is transported to Mars, where he must fight for the Martian people's freedom. But a confusing storyline and kinda lame characters (John's superpower is that he can jump really high) hindered it and kept it from going anywhere. An unsatisfying ending doesn't help either.
2. Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
The first film (with Brendan Fraser) shouldn't have worked, but because of the charm of its characters, it did. They decided to press their luck and try again with Dwayne Johnson, and this charmless piece of kiddie crap just doesn't compare. It has plenty of ideas (tiny elephants! giant bees!), but none of them are believable, or really all that interesting.
1. The Bourne Legacy
Why did they even bother making Bourne Without Bourne? For me at least, the biggest disappointment of the year. As a big fan of the original trilogy, and a fan of the up-and-coming star Jeremy Renner (see best movie #2), this should have been exciting and thought-provoking, like the original Matt Damon films. Instead we got a wandering plot, a pointless climax (he gets off his meds... that was the point of the movie?), barely-there cameos from supporting characters from the first three films, and an ending that doesn't actually end, but instead just stops. (I honestly thought the film was going to keep going for another half hour or so, and was shocked when the credits rolled.) This is one legacy not worth leaving.
Bonus Section- 3D Re-Releases
This year saw a slew of older films getting 3D re-releases, as the format continued to grow and take over every movie franchise known to man. Some movies were worth shelling out the cash to see again, even if you had the DVDs at home, others...not so much.
Best: Titanic
James Cameron made Avatar, which was the start of the 3D craze. So when he re-released his other magnum opus, the historical romance Best Picture winner, you know he wasn't just screwing around. It was a real attempt at giving viewers a new experience, seeing a film they've seen countless times in a whole new light. I was too young to see this film when it first came out in 1997, so I was thrilled to see it on the big screen for the first time, and it's never looked more beautiful.
Worst: Beauty and the Beast
Good movie, baaad conversion. Disney's classic tale of love despite appearances would have been a joy to see on the big screen, but the filmmakers forgot one small thing: the film is a traditionally animated hand-drawn piece, not a computer-animated picture like Pixar would later make famous. The effect of flat characters suddenly given the 3D treatment just makes them look lumpy. It worked for The Lion King, but this would have done just fine with a high-definition transfer.
Well, those are my picks. Do you agree or disagree? You probably disagree, but that's okay. There's a lot of films I haven't seen yet. (Wreck-It Ralph looks like one of the most original films of the year, but sadly I missed it in theaters.) I would love to hear your opinions of what made 2012 great.
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