This concept of selecting the Top 10 movies of the calendar year seems more and more preposterous with each coming year. Not only do I watch a fraction of the films that I used to (30 in total this year), I see even fewer in theatres (16 in 2012, the others were either on BluRay or Netflix or The Movie Network) and concerning those 16, I'm pretty much limited to movies with a target audience of 8 years old or younger. This list should be renamed "The Top 10 of 30 Movies I Saw that are Somewhat Suitable for Children with a Few Adult Appropriate Ones Thrown in for Good Measure that Came Out in or Around 2012, Give or Take a Few Years."
With those limitations in mind, please accept this list of 10 films that were worthwhile viewing for me in 2012, so that you may see them sometime in 2013. For the first time in years, 2012 presented no films that truly resonated with me to the point where I must implore people to watch it themselves. No film worth crying from the mountaintop about. In the spirit of the fact that every film created is an artistic personal achievement on the part of many individuals, I have decided to fore go my usual ranking and numbering and will present the Top 10 in reverse alphabetical order. Even presented as such, the reverse alphabetical order is very close to how I probably would have ranked the films, give or take a few positions. Just an odd coincidence. Despite no one, singular, standout film sitting above the rest, I have purchased the entire Top 10 (or plan to in the case of the first entry you see) for repeat viewing. Last year I merely included the original 140 character review from Twitter (@joejameskireel) with each film but this year I am adding a reflective comment about each film in retrospect. Click the movie title to view my original review. Here are ten great films that I saw in 2012...
Wreck-It Ralph; Originally I mistakenly attributed this film to Pixar. That is an extremely high compliment, despite the disappointing trend that Pixar is on lately. Clever, original, with inspired voice casting and spectacular animation, Wreck-It Ralph delivered on the high expectations I had for its retro video gaming premise. Using old school video game references while developing some original concepts of their own, this Disney (not Pixar) movie is a real treat for the new parents that grew up with 8 bit games.
Snow White and the Huntsman; I know this one seriously divided critics and the public, not to mention a few relationships. However, my opinion remains that the film's team did what they set out to accomplish; they created a modern version of a fantasy film that kept the dark tone of the original fairy tales. They fleshed out characters enough to make them interesting and used art direction and FX to enhance the story, rather than be the sole reason for viewing. This film feels like Game of Thrones sized storytelling in a compact form.
ParaNorman; If it didn't take so long to make stop-motion animation, I think I'd be satisfied if these were the only films being made. Laika Studios, creators of my Top Film of 2009 Coraline, have an inspired imagination that creates original works of art with equal cinematic nostalgia (odes to genre films and the Breakfast Club) and fresh new visionary film making. ParaNorman makes the frightening fun for families by treating scary with grown up seriousness peppered with childlike innocence and wonder. Brilliant and one of a kind.
The Odd Life of Timothy Green; A typical family film in the style of films we actually don't see anymore. Sweet and syrupy, without being too earnest, the film works from understated performances and a whimsy that comes from a magical premise that doesn't overwhelm the film's focus on those intimate moments of humanity. The emotional moments are raw and unapologetically honest. The only drawback is how the film is conventionally framed in flashback but that is easily forgiven.
The Muppets; A holdover from 2011, we had to travel far from home to actually see this during Christmas break last year. Strange, since it was the only solid offering for families at the time. Originally, I was a bit underwhelmed (if that's a word) by the film's seemingly nostalgic reverence for its past and lack of modern movie pop culture referencing. Since then, I've probably watched it at least a dozen times and love and appreciate it more with each watching. Definitely warrants a revised grading of an A for its clever soundtrack and Muppetness.
Friends with Benefits; Another 2011 holdover, this film was surprisingly good. Most romantic comedies are usually done in by the genre's own conventions or a lack of chemistry. This one succeeds on both fronts with sexy and (somewhat) realistic dialogue. Mila Kunis is wonderfully modern in that she doesn't necessarily need Timberlake but truly wants him. There is enough fresh and new twists to a familiar premise that makes this movie wish you were dating or young enough to have this as the rom com of your era.
The Dark Knight Rises; I bet you knew this was coming. We all knew this was going to be good. Yet how does Christopher Nolan top his previous installment which is arguably one of the best films of the millennium (and unjustly ranked 2nd on my 2008 list)? He delivers a fitting bookend to his Batman trilogy that elevates all three films from the opening minute of Batman Begins by the way it encapsulates the series as a whole. Though it may not be as dynamic as The Dark Knight, the final film bridges and closes themes much like the final Lord of the Rings film closed a stunning achievement in film.
Brave; This film snuck onto this list. I'm still not fully appreciative of it for a number of reasons (one of which is storytelling) and there were a handful of other films vying for the 10th spot (see Honourable Mentions). Yet I can't fault Pixar for not continuing to deliver phenomenal entertainment like they did throughout the last decade. When I detach this movie from Pixar's past, I'm left to discover a wonderful heroine immersed in stunningly breathtaking animation. The artwork inherent in the Scottish setting is what secured this film its spot on the list.
Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey; I watched this film after hearing/reading some good recommendations. In an age where film criticism seems superfluous on account of schmoes like me, it is worth every word when films like this get seen on account of a critic's trumpeting. I originally wanted to find out who the jerk was that created the annoying puppet that stole Grover's thunder. Turns out the guy is living a childhood dream and a story book tale that can only be this amazing because it is true. Made me not only like Elmo, but admire where he came from.
The Avengers; Arguably the best film of the year, it certainly was the most popular, shattering box office records. It's difficult to fully appreciate the monumental achievement this film is. It's hard enough to craft a story with this group of characters where each is given a decent piece of the plot points, let alone do it with an elite cast of actors, managing schedules and satisfying lead-in solo film franchises with pre-existing worlds and characters, all the while containing comic book worthy movie moments with a sense of cohesiveness. A true triumph of expectations and epic proportions.
So there you have it. Ten films worth your time and hard earned cash, should you choose to heed my advice. Here are some other films I found to be worth the time invested:
Honourable mentions: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, The Dictator, The Hunger Games
One benefit of seeing a limited number of movies in a year is it seriously cuts down on the number of bad films I have to sit through. However, being a dad means having to endure some seriously awful drivel, all in the name of entertaining your child to some degree. It's hard to hate a film that makes a young one laugh, but when there are some significantly awesome entertainment options for young and old (see the Top 10) then there's really no excuse for the following five films:
The Top 5 Worst Films of 2012 are...
5.
Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World; This one actually isn't that awful. It's just a question of when do you kill off a franchise in favour of something new or original? Robert Rodriguez could churn these out to infinity and they'd still have some redeeming qualities. He's just that cool. How can you not love an attempt at bringing back Aroma-Scope and casting Ricky Gervais as a spy dog? It's only awful when no one knows how awful it is. These players all know the ridiculousness they are offering. Looking forward to Spy 5!
4.
Mirror, Mirror; Speaking of how awful a movie can be when the players involved don't know how awful it is, take this sickening version of Snow White as a prime example. It looks stunning. However, by allowing Julia Roberts and Nathan Lane to ham it up like they are doing the show in drag, just makes the film a drag to watch. Very unfunny, not at all sweet, I have no idea what audience this film was going for. My daughter enjoyed it somewhat, which I probably could if Roberts were cut out of the movie entirely.
3.
Puss in Boots; Is it just me or didn't the Shrek franchise run out of laughs by mid way through the second film? Then why did this one joke side character warrant his own film? Yet another example of a studio content to churn out stale crap than to take a chance on something new or original. The voice work is shabby and the attempts at humour seriously fall short. Let's hope this film feline doesn't have a film life of nine. (See. That's how lame the jokes are. That obvious and sad.)
2.
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island; I actually wanted to see this in theatres. The first installment was a pleasant surprise, ushering in 3D long before it became a craze. I had high hopes that the clever surprises would continue. However, the only surprise here was that actors I enjoy watching (Caine, Johnson, Guzman) could be reduced to such ridiculous pandering and nonsense, while Hudgens would be utilized in a way to make her High School Musical days seem forgotten. I'm fortunate my daughter had the foresight to skip this one until it came on the Movie Network. What can I say, she has good taste.
1.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon; I know this one came out in 2011. Even if I saw it then (I managed to avoid it for almost a year) it's bad enough to earn two years worth of worst film resentment. The mere fact that one model can be interchanged with another and have no bearing on the film, good or bad, says something about the integrity of these films. I honestly can't remember if this is the second or third Transformers film, they're that forgettable and indistinguishable. I realize that the Avengers final battle owes a little to the millipedes of this film, but I wish Michael Bay treated these toys with a fraction of the respect that Whedon and Nolan have given their comic book characters.
So there you have it. Another year of reviews for those of you that never asked. I do hope my opinions inform your movie spending time to some degree and I truly look forward to your own thoughts about the films you see, as we help each other spend a little less time wishing we hadn't wasted our time and money and a lot more time investing our efforts in the films worthy of our thoughts and appreciation. Here's to a 2013 that holds a new Wizard of Oz, a new Monsters Inc. tale, a new Iron Man, Thor and Superman, a new Lone Ranger, a second installment of Despicable Me and a Chance of Meatballs and Sin City, a new Hunger Games and the Hobbit installment and new fairy tale films based on Hansel, Gretel and Jack, not to mention a few fifth and sixth films in their respective series. The only thing that isn't new are the ideas and characters. Let's hope some original works emerge among the recycled concepts (Disney Pixar's Planes?? Wonder where that idea came from?).
