Eliot’s Top 12 Films of 2012
Echoing what Nick has said previously, 2012 was a great year for movies. From epic blockbusters to small independents, it was almost impossible to pare my list down to only ten (hence this clever cop-out list of 12). Anyway, things like these need little introduction so I’ll spare you the soliloquy and get on with the listing.
12. Silver Linings Playbook
In a year of three-hour epic films, Silver Linings Playbook is a refreshing and uplifting break from all that heavy subject matter (slavery, terrorist hunting, and more slavery). The acting is solid all-around and the script is sharp. It wasn’t perfect, but I really liked this film.
11. Compliance
It’s not a horror movie, but it was one of the most affecting, disturbing films I saw all year. Made all the more harrowing by the fact that it is a true story, Compliance is a slow-burner that will stick with you long after the credits roll. It might even be a good idea to queue up some Seinfeld re-runs (or Youtube videos of pandas on slides OR this hilarious turtle humping a shoe OR these pictures of cute baby otters) to cheer you up afterward – you’ll need it.
10. The Impossible
The melodramatics are occasionally too much to handle but the intense moments are so relentless that the whole experience eventually wears you down and bullies you into its emotional submission. This film is a truly exhausting experience and it seemed to leave everyone in my theater shaken. Also, the tsunami sequence is one of the most realistic and impressive effects set pieces I’ve ever seen.
9. Seven Psychopaths
This quirky, violent, and shockingly funny film boasts a great cast (Colin Farrel, Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken, Woody Harrelson) and was a surprise favorite of mine this year. It was reminiscent of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (a great movie from 2005 that you may have missed) in the way it crafted an interesting story at the intersection of crime and Hollywood.
8. Lincoln
Epic in scope and nearly perfect in execution, this film deserves high praise for bringing such an important part of our nation’s history to life. Daniel Day-Lewis continues his run of excellent, transformative performances and absolutely shines as Abraham Lincoln.
7. Your Sister’s Sister
With a talented cast (Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt) and the beautiful scenery of the Pacific Northwest at his disposal, director Lynn Shelton crafts one of the most honest and charming cinematic portrayals of human relationships I saw last year.
6. Moonrise Kingdom
One of the only films from 2012 that could hold my interest even if you played it on mute, Moonrise Kingdom is a visual treat. If you like Wes Anderson, you’ll like this movie. If you don’t like Wes Anderson, this may be the one that changes your mind. His best film since 2001′s The Royal Tennenbaums.
5. Django Unchained
Extraordinary performances from Christoph Waltz, Jamie Foxx, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Samuel L. Jackson elevate Django to the next level. This may not be the best entry on Tarantino’s already-impressive directing resume, but it is surely one of his most interesting and enjoyable films since Pulp Fiction.
4. Argo
An exciting, near-perfect, tightly constructed thriller that shows Ben Affleck is an excellent director even when he’s making films set outside the Boston city limits.
3. Looper
Unfortunately for young director Rian Johnson, genre movies like this get no love from the Academy but that doesn’t mean Looper wasn’t one of the best films of the year.
2. Life of Pi
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Whoever chose to market Life of Pi as “this year’s Avatar” deserves to be fired and publicly shamed for their ineptitude. Conversely, Ang Lee deserves endless accolades for turning a beautiful (and seemingly unfilmable) story into such a compelling movie. I saw this twice in one week, and I recommend everyone see it in theaters before it becomes the go-to demo movie for every floor display 3-D TV at every electronics store in America.
1. Zero Dark Thirty
Hands down, this is one of the most engrossing and intense films I’ve ever seen. Three hours in a theater has never flown by so fast.
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6 Responses to “Eliot’s Top 12 Films of 2012”
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Disappointed that The Sessions didn’t make the cut – I’d take it over Your Sister’s Sister any day (and YSS was almost a chick flick, my favorite of all the genres!).
Almost? Your Sister’s Sister was totally a chick flick. Don’t let the fact that Mark Duplass can crush a bottle of tequila or *SPOILER* (condom sabotage) is the reason for the happenings, no matter how you present it, sisters bitching about their relationships will always be a chick flick.
WHOA WHOA WHOA first of all, Your Sister’s Sister is a good film AND it has Emily Blunt’s awesomely charming English accent (which I will take any day over Helen Hunt’s jarringly fake accent in The Sessions).
Second of all, that spoiler alert should probably be at the top of the paragraph. Haha I doubt anyone will stop reading fast enough to avoid it.
Third, Your Sister’s Sister is not a typical “chick flick.” The main character is a guy, there is no “meet cute” moment, and it lacks the goofy overweight best friend of the guy (i.e. Seth Rogen, Kevin James, etc.)/snarky eye-rolling feminist friend of the girl (i.e. Janneane Garafalo, Krysten Ritter, etc.) who are inserted to provide cheap comic relief and easy exposition. These are all staples of typical “chick flicks” that Your Sister’s Sister passes over in the service of a simple, solid story with great acting.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, HATERS GONNA HATE.
I can’t believe I’ve only seen two of these movies. Are they still out in theaters? Cause if so I think I’m going to try to do a marathon.
Seven Psychopaths, Your Sister’s Sister, Moonrise Kingdom, Argo and Looper are all out on video. Compliance is streaming free on Amazon Prime. You can find the others at theaters easily.
Compliance is currently available streaming on Netflix as well! Please let me reemphasize that it’s not necessarily an enjoyable film but definitely one I will never forget. Also, it is not a date movie. I repeat, Compliance is NOT a date movie.