Best movie: The Dark Knight Rises
(2. Killer Joe 3. Looper 4. Prometheus 5. Silver Linings Playbook 6. Lincoln 7. Argo 8. The Cabin in the Woods 9. The Perks of Being a Wallflower 10. Django Unchained)
Christopher Nolan's masterful conclusion to The Dark Knight trilogy is not only a step up comparing to previous two movies, it's also one of the most epic and incredibly well made action/adventure films I've seen. Directed with much skill, done with great scope and featuring stellar performances from the cast, the movie has been my number 1 of the year for the last six months and though some films came close, not one of them managed to dethrone it. The film has one stand out performance - that delivered by Anne Hathaway as suave and clever Selina Kyle - but it doesn't have the biggest issue The Dark Knight had - the performance so fantastic it puts everyone in the shadow, making the film uneven. Lead by wonderful Christian Bale, the cast delivers earnest performances that are never overshadowed by the film's incredible action set pieces and breathtaking moments.
Best actor: Denzel Washington as Whip Whitaker in Flight
(2. Matthew McConaughey, Killer Joe 3. Bradley Cooper, Silver Linings Playbook 4. Joaquin Phoenix, The Master 5. Steve Carrel, Seeking a Friend for the End of the World 6. Daniel Day Lewis, Lincoln)
It is a true art to create powerful performance in average movie. Denzel Washington created incredible work based on the mediocre script - his astonishing performance is the only thing driving this movie, preventing it from derailing. The anguish, self loathing, desperation and finally - redemption - without Washington all of those aspects of his character would be completely hallow. With him playing Whip, they are brutally real and powerfully honest. 
Best actress: Noomi Rapace as Dr Elizabeth Shaw in Prometheus
(2. Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty 3. Marion Cotillard, Rust and Bone 4. Naomi Watts, The Impossible 5. Ann Dowd, Compliance)
Rapace's powerful work in Ridley Scott's Prometheus was not easy - after all she would inevitably be compared to one of the most bad ass heroines in the cinematic history - Sigurney Weaver's Ellen Ripley. As Dr Elizabeth Shaw she is naive, curious and trusting - at first. She is driven by her desire to meet her makers and uncover the unknown. In the process of the movie we see her becoming strong and fearless, prepared to do whatever has to be done to survive. Rapace delivers a performance of a heroine who is admirable, inspiring and strong but she never stops being human and never loses her innocence.
Best supporting actor: Robert De Niro as Pat Solitano senior in Silver Linings Playbook
(2. Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained 3. Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master 4. Tommy Lee Jones, Lincoln 5. Leonardo DiCaprio, Django Unchained 6. Matthew McConaughey, Magic Mike 7. Michael Fassbender, Prometheus 8. Lee Pace, Lincoln 9.Bryan Cranston, Argo. )
De Niro finally delivers amazing performance - his Pat is a loving father, devoted husband and slightly obsessed football fan. As you can see this category was very competitive and we truly got a whole variety of wonderful supporting performances this year, but none of those amused me and moved me as much as De Niro's work. He was both hilarious and powerful throughout the movie and there is no way the film would work as well as it did without his scenes, especially his final lines to his son.
Best supporting actress: Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle in The Dark Knight Rises
(2. Amy Adams, The Master 3. Nicole Kidman, the Paperboy 4. Gina Gershon, Killer Joe 5. Juno Temple, Killer Joe)
In the film that features so many talented actors, Anne Hathaway managed to completely steal the spotlight. Though her work as Selina Kyle isn't quite on the level of the iconic Catwoman created 20 years ago by Michelle Pfeiffer, Hathaway delivers fun, sexy and cool version of the character that brought the classic depictions of Catwoman to mind. Her work here is miles above her overrated turn in Les Mis and I only wish she was as cool and suave during Oscar season as her character is in the movie.Best screenplay: Killer Joe (2. Looper 3. Argo 4. Silver Linings Playbook)
Best music: The Dark Knight Rises (2. The Hobbit 3. Beasts of the Southern Wild 4. Dredd)
Best track: Why do We Fall, TDKR (2. Rise, TDKR 3. Over Hill, The Hobbit 4. Batman Chased, TDKR 5. Dear Frodo, The Hobbit)
Best costumes: Snow White and the Huntsman (2. Anna Karenina 3. Lincoln 4. The Hobbit)
Best cinematography: Skyfall (2. Moonrise Kingdom 3. The Dark Knight Rises 4. Prometheus 5. Killer Joe)
Best editing: The Dark Knight Rises (2. Skyfall 3. Looper 4. Argo)
Best visual effects: Prometheus (2. The Dark Knight Rises 3. Looper 4. Skyfall 5. The Hobbit)
Best trailers:
The Dark Knight Rises trailer 3
Prometheus International Trailer
Flight
Argo
Biggest Disappointment: Zero Dark Thirty (2. Killing Them Softly 3. Les Miserables)Worst Performance by an Actor: Whoever played the young villain dude in The Hunger Games
Most Overhyped: The Hunger Games (2. Anne Hathaway in Les Miserables 3. Zero Dark Thirty 4. Jessica Chastain in Zero Dark Thirty)
Worst Movie of the Year: Cloud Atlas (2,5/10) (2. Premium Rush - 2,7/10)
Biggest Miscast: Jaime Foxx as Django in Django Unchained
Funniest scene: Thomas Hayden Church's jacket falling apart in Killer Joe (2. De Niro vs the kid who wanted to do the interview in Silver Linings Playbook 3. Thranduil screwing over the dwarves in The Hobbit prologue 4. LOOK WHAT JESUS DID! in Ted 5. The bag scene in Django Unchained 6. Every time Pat worked in Tommy being dead in a conversation in Silver Linings Playbook 7. Is that your dick? in Killer Joe)The most I cried during the movie: Frankenweenie (2. The impossible)
Best Kiss: Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook
Best Fight: Elizabeth Shaw vs the fetus in Prometheus (2. Bane vs Batman, The Dark Knight Rises 3. First shootout in Candyland, Django Unchained)
Best Chemistry: Charlize Theron and Michael Fassbender in Prometheus
Best Quotes: Pings, glitches, life forms, what the fuck?! (Prometheus), You are my favorite, favorite thing (Seeking a Friend for the End of the World), Fuck the cops! Fuck them! (Seven Psychopaths), Keep fighting, ni**ers! (Django Unchained), A king has his reign, and then he dies (Prometheus), You! What were you doing? You nearly got yourself killed! Did I not say
that you would be a burden, that you would not survive in the wild and
that you have no place amongst us? I've never been so wrong in all my
life.(The Hobbit)Best Line deliveries: Congress must never declare equal those who God created unequal! (Lee Pace, Lincoln), I've been lying about my drinking my whole life (Denzel Washington, Flight), You will procure me these votes. (Daniel Day Lewis, Lincoln), I'm adaptable. (Anne Hathaway, The Dark Knight Rises), Then you have my permission to die (Christian Bale, The Dark Knight Rises), Thank you....thank you so very much (Naomi Watts, The Impossible), Your slave wife speaks German and her name is Broomhilda von Shaft? (Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained)
Best Scene: Bruce makes the climb in The Dark Knight Rises (2. The vote/the amendment is passed, Lincoln 3. Whip confesses, Flight 4. The plane takes off, Argo 5. The dance, Silver Linings Playbook)
Best Opening: Thank God for The Hobbit because otherwise that category would be empty.
Best Ending: The Dark Knight Rises (2. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World 3. Killer Joe)The Lisbeth Salander favorite hero award goes to: Dr King Shultz, Django Unchained (2. Selina Kyle, The Dark Knight Rises 3. Elizabeth Shaw, Prometheus)
The Joker favorite villain award goes to: Joe Cooper, Killer Joe (2. Fernando Wood, Lincoln 3. Calvin Candie, Django Unchained 4. David 8, Prometheus 5. Queen Ravenna, Snow White and The Huntsman)
"I blacked out for a moment there' reaction for the hottest character of the year goes to: Garret - Lee Pace, Twilight -Breaking Dawn part 2 - seriously just look at him.(2. Captain Janek - Idris Elba, Prometheus - had I been on board no one would pilot that ship. He would be otherwise engaged.
3. Fernando Wood - Lee Pace, Lincoln - I know he is racist. I know. I'm SORRY.
"Am I high or did it actually happen?" question for the most ridiculous movie moment goes to: 1. Idris Elba's HANDS UP!!! death scene in Prometheus - seriously what the fuck was that? (2. Marion Cotillard's death scene in The Dark Knight Rises 3. James freaking Bond taking elderly woman to the middle of nowhere in Scotland with barely any guns to keep her safe from the bad guys and pissed off Javier Bardem in Skyfall)
The Jar Jar binks facepalm gesture statute for the most annoying character of the year goes to: Maya - Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty (2. The main kid in Moonrise Kingdom 3. Mary Todd Lincoln in Lincoln 4. all the talking crap aka trolls, orcs and other ugly creatures in The Hobbit)
The shirt with the scarlet H letter for the Hypocrite of the year goes to: Quentin Tarantino, for making the movie about race discrimination while committing discrimination on basis of nationality and not hiring Idris Elba...because he is British.
Flaming dog poo and eternal shame goes to: The people responsible for the deaths of 27 animals on The Hobbit set, Wes Anderson who featured pointless scene with the dog dying in Moonrise Kingdom and the directors of Cloud Atlas for featuring the scene where dog is shot for comic relief. You people make me sick.
Pussy Wagon travel in style award goes to: King Thranduil and his elk in The HobbitUggie Award for the cutest animal goes to: Sebastian, the hedgehog in The Hobbit
Tub Scene award for the hottest sex scene of the year goes to: You all sucked this year. And not in THAT way.
2012 films I've seen:
The Dark Knight Rises - 94/100
Killer Joe - 94/100
Looper - 93/100
Lincoln - 86/100
Argo - 85/100
The Cabin in the Woods - 85/100
Skyfall - 82/100
Game Change - 82/100
Avengers - 82/100
The Paperboy - 75/100
21 Jump Street - 75/100
The Master - 75/100
The Master - 75/100
Hitchcock - 73/100
American Reunion - 71/100
The Sessions - 70/100
The Sessions - 70/100
Flight - 69/100
Rust and Bone - 68/100
The Woman in Black - 68/100
On the Road - 67/100
The Expendables 2 - 66/100
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - 65/100
Brave - 65/100
Beasts of the Southern Wild - 63/100
Zero Dark Thirty - 62/100
Wanderlust - 62/100
Pitch Perfect - 60/100
Moonrise Kingdom - 58/100
Snow White and the Huntsman - 57/100
Lawless - 57/100
Ted - 56/100
Salmon Fishing in Yemen - 55/100
Underworld:Awaking - 55/100
The Girl - 55/100
Killing them Softly - 46/100
The Grey - 46/100
Seven Psychopaths - 45/100
Savages - 45/100
To Rome with Love - 37/100
Dark Shadows - 36/100
Liz & Dick - 35/100
The Hunger Games - 35/100
Five Year Engagement - 29/100
Mirror Mirror - 28/100
Premium Rush - 27/100
What to Expect when you're Expecting - 27/100
Cloud Atlas - 25/100
Loved this! Great to see a differing opinion than the masses.
ReplyDeleteThank you! TDKR deserves a lot of love :)
DeleteAn epic list that did not disappoint. My own list, regarding your list.
ReplyDeleteBiggest Agreements (Yays!)
Best Actor: Denzel. Hell yes. Amazing.
Funniest Scene: THC. Oh my God, I laughed way too hard at that one.
Most Overhyped: Hunger Games. Goodness, I hope the second one is actually in the ballpark of interesting. Might even settle for not terrible.
Biggest Disagreements (Boos!)
Cloud Atlas being the worst movie of the year? C'mon! It's worse than Mirror Mirror? Really? :)
Best Ending: TDKR. Nooo! Would have been better had it been implied, instead.
Best Movie: TDKR. This is where I lose my credibility...well, more so.
Seriously, this list is all kinds of badass. Well done!
I nearly fell off my chair on that moment. It was so simple yet so funny and his reaction was hilarious :)
DeleteI was so bored during Hunger Games. I couldn't believe the reviews it got, I think it even scored few 10/10 :/
Mirror Mirror was at least shorter, I actually fell asleep 3 times on Cloud Atlas :) I really liked TDKR ending, I thought if it was implied Nolan would be in trouble like with Inception again - I bet people still bother him about what actually happened.
Thank you!
Great post Sati!
ReplyDeleteAnything with De Niro in a good light is alright in my book :)
Thank you! He was great in the movie!
DeleteThe actor from The Hunger Games whose name you forget is Alexander Ludwig.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that kid fucking sucks.
I didn't even bother to check it :) He was so awful in this movie! I mean no one was particularly great there but he was so bad he actually made Twilight guys look like great thespians.
DeleteDoes anyone remember him in 2009's Race to Witch Mountain? Pretty sure he was just god-awful in that. He really can't act, if memory serves me well. Sati, you might be depressed to know he's appearing in three films this year (Grown Ups 2, Lone Survivor and Final Girl -- at least according to his IMDb page)... *sighs* I'll probably end up seeing them because LS and FG sound great, but he's not good at all. I enjoyed The Hunger Games as a whole, though, but he's baaad.
DeleteOh, fortunately I won't be seeing any of these :)
DeleteAwesome post, Margaret! I love everything about it. I haven't seen TDKR yet; I guess I need to get on that.
ReplyDeleteKiller Joe may be the funniest movie I saw this year, and I really liked the scenes you highlighted. I love the way the guy's jacket fell apart in the insurance office, and he looked like a deer in headlights. It didn't even occur to him just to take the damn thing off so he wouldn't look like an idiot. And the "is this your dick?" scene is priceless.
Oh you need to see TDKR! I was sure I'll hate it and I loved it so much.
DeleteYeah he was such a silly man, but I actually loved how peaceful he was during the film - he just had this 'I don't care' attitude, which was what made 'is that your dick?' scene so funny for me :)
I have to say that the Prometheus trailer made the film look way better than it was :( I liked the film, but it didn't have me raving like I wanted it to.
ReplyDeleteOH MY GOD that plane take off scene in Argo had me gripping my seat! Probably the most suspenseful thing I'd seen all year!
Love that Thorin quote from the Hobbit :') I had a tear in my eye, I did - and at Gandalf's "Why the hobbit? Perhaps it is because I'm afraid...and he gives me courage." SAY MORE THINGS LIKE THAT NEXT MOVIE PLEASE!
I loved the trailer but I loved the movie too :) Though I wish deleted scenes were included in the movie.
DeleteI really loved the scene - it was suspenseful and so beautiful when everyone were so happy and started hugging each other.
Those two quotes were lovely. Very moving scenes in the film too, I loved it when Thorin hugged Bilbo.
Wow, we share 6 films in our top 10! Interesting.
ReplyDeleteIndeed! Though I bet Prometheus is not among yours ^^
DeleteIt is! #6. http://filmactually.blogspot.com/2013/01/best-of-2012.html
DeleteOh, awesome! I really need to check Amour and Arbitrage.
DeleteThis was such a pleasure to read. Made it well worth the wait! I really liked your choices - TDKR, Killer Joe, Looper and Argo will certainly make my top 10. And there's still so much I haven't seen (which is why my lists don't come out til summer time!).
ReplyDeleteLoved your other categories, honorable mentions and moments of 2012. A really fun recap, and yet another reminder that this was such a fantastic year to be a movie lover!
I look forward to your updates in 2013!
Thank you! It's great that you have many films yet to see, I basically saw everything I wanted from last year so now it's a long wait until some good movies show up in 2013 :)
DeleteVery nice recap. I'll never be able to eat fried chicken ever again.
ReplyDeleteConcur on the tub award, nothing that really struck me on that front this year. Nothing like 2010.
I feel like because the nudity automatically gives the movie R rating there is less and less sex scenes and that's a shame I mean a romance without one is just weird. The only decent one was in Anna Karenina but it wasn't anything memorable.
DeleteDamn, this is one hell of a list! We're most definitely in agreement as to Dark Knight Rises Being awesome and Cloud Atlas being a huge misstep, but we can still agree to disagree on Hathaway and Zero Dark Thirty. I would add though that I've been watching Girls and I'm now in your camp as far as not liking Lena Dunham, I know her character's supposed to be self-centered but I can't shake the knowledge that I would f*cking hate Hannah Horvath if I met her in real life
ReplyDeleteThank you! Awesome to read that - her character is despicable and the way this show is written is just offensive on so many levels. I mean it's hard to imagine something lower than making hiv and miscarriage into laughing matter. Disgusting, the show, Dunham and her main character. I'm staying away from season 2.
DeleteI like your choices. I enjoyed The Dark Knight Rises and Prometheus immensely. After hearing so many bloggers whine about how they were disappointments, it’s so refreshing to see someone actually take up for them. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteYour choice for Best actor: Denzel Washington in Flight is a bit unexpected, but I support you completely. I’m not saying I would’ve picked it as MY best performance, but it’s definitely a worthy choice. I think it’s actually one of Denzel's best performances (and he’s given quite a few).
P.S. “Denzel Washington created incredible work based on the mediocre [but Oscar nominated] script” <-----Notice the added text in brackets.
Glad you like these two! I loved the films and it pisses me off how much people whine about them. I thought they were brilliant and TDKR was close to perfection.
DeleteI actually had a bit of trouble choosing the line up for Actor, because everyone there were so good. But Denzel managed to created such a fantastic performance in the film I consider to be very flawed, so that was very impressive. I'll definitely see the film again just to see his performance one more time.
I cannot believe the script is nominated - for me it was the weakest part of the movie, the story was horribly messy.
How Flight got in over Looper in Original Screenplay is beyond me.
DeleteI don't understand it either, Looper really got snubbed in a lot of categories.
DeleteWowsers! Well I thoroughly enjoyed reading that! Love some of those award names. Two things stand out... I MUST see Killer Joe asap, and I'm very surprised to hear your thoughts on Chastain's character in Zero Dark Thirty. I haven't seen it yet but am curious. Also great choice for number one of the year! I'm in total agreement!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Killer Joe is fantastic, I think I'll even rewatch it tonight. Funny, unique and slightly disturbing movie.
DeleteI really disliked her character - she was really dull and annoying.
Glad to see so many TDKR fans here!
How are you even, I don't get it.. I .. Where did you learn to make lists and pick the winners and so on?
ReplyDeletePS: I don't think I was as disappointed in The Hunger Games as you were.
Breathe! :) It's really nothing, I kinda work by making comparisons - between these two performances, which was better? - And then I add more stuff and ta-da - I have a line up :)
DeleteI was really bored by it. I may see it again before the sequel since I will probably be dragged to see it in the cinema too.
I really need to check out Killer Joe, a lot of love for it here!
ReplyDeleteReally good piece, enjoyed reading that :)
I think we all knew TDKR was gonna top your list, not my favourite of the year but a good end to the trilogy. Can't agree with the ending though, it needed to finish as Alfred looks at the camera and nods, we don't need the reverse shot, keep it open ended! Anyway, there's some really good choices here, good work :)
It's awesome, really fantastic movie. I definitely recommend it!
DeleteThank you! For me the ending was really moving and I actually teared up like a moron when we saw Bruce ^^ I thought it was very effective and elegant in a way.
Haha nice post. I agree and disagree on many things but pretty awesome I would say still.
ReplyDeleteThanks! :)
DeleteThat sleeve thing was pretty funny, huh? LOL ;)
ReplyDeleteI literally laughed out loud during this moment and I rarely do so :)
Deletemassive post Sati, well done!! I wish I could comment on your choices, but I haven't seen most of the films. However, I'm interested in your opinion about Foxx as Django, it's the first time I hear that... I'll keep it mind when I watch the film.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I saw whole bunch of threads on imdb complaining about Foxx, I actually saw the movie yesterday with my friend and he didn't like Foxx either. I knew I'll have a problem with him as I don't think he can act but what didn't help was that the character of Django was kinda flat.
DeleteYour blog is just so goddamn amazing. Even if our tastes don’t align, doesn’t matter – shit is pretty. And funny.
ReplyDeleteLove most of the flicks in your Top 10. I know how excited you were to see Killer Joe, so cool that it lived up to your expectations.
Denzel! Rapace! Bobby De! No argument from me.
That last sentence of your Supporting Actress blurb: Yep.
What a spirited choice for Best Chemistry. Hell yeah.
Fucking hell, I forgot about the shooting dog scene in Cloud Atlas. So pointless.
Thank you! :)
DeleteI really loved Joe, it was so refreshing to see such a ballsy, fun movie.
Theron and Fass really should do something together again. They were amazing in Prometheus and the screen was almost on fire whenever these two argued.
what about The Master ???!!!!! I don't see it in Top 10 !!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's number 19. I liked a lot in it but I thought the story was lacking and the screenplay could have been much better. Anderson is a wonderful director but he is not the best writer.
DeleteSolid picks. Good to see some love for TDKR.
ReplyDeleteThanks! Someone needs to love the movie now that Academy screwed them over :)
DeleteFabulous post Sati. Im particulary happy to see you choose DeNiro for supporting actor. I really hope he bags the Oscar. That would just make my year that would.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Waltz and Hoffman were pretty close but De Niro won me over because there was so much heart in his work. I hope he wins, it would be awesome!
DeleteEpic post! As is to be expected, there are things we agree on(Perks in top 10), others we don't agree-(I was ok with J Foxx as Django)
ReplyDeleteYou really hated Cloud Atlas, now I'm unsure if I should see it. Nice to see The Master is in your top 20. Ending of The Dark Knight Rises is among my favorites of 2012 too. I agree Skyfall lacked logic in last act-maybe they thought they would never be found.
Thanks!
DeleteOh Cloud Atlas was awful. I literally fell asleep three times on this and I was drinking coffee, so it was pretty amazing that it happened.
Fantastic post! We only share 2 films on our top 10, but I like every film on your list.
ReplyDeleteHate that I couldn't find room for them, but I love that you honored Noomi Rapace and Ann Dowd. A bunch of these are my runners-up, like TDKR for score/editing, Anne Hathaway for TDKR, and Skyfall for cinematography.
Yay! Cloud Atlas won some awards! ;)
Love the additional categories, especially the wins for Killer Joe.
Thank you!
DeleteBoth Rapace and Dowd were awesome and I really cannot believe how little love they got this Oscar season :/
One of my biggest disappointments for 2012 was Anne Hathaway as Catwoman. I don't understand the hype over her in that role. Anne said in an interview that she truly thinks every take she does is horrible, and in The Dark Knight Rises I think you see it the most. She gets in her own way and holds herself back. Michelle Pfeiffer reigns supreme as Catwoman for me. :)
ReplyDeleteI actually thought she will suck but I loved her. I don't know, maybe it's because I saw whole bunch of episodes of the animated series and I thought it was uncanny how much she was like cool and sexy Catwoman in that.
DeleteHathaway is always saying she was terrible. It's her faux modesty, she says that about every single performance she gives.
WHOAH!! What a tremendous post here Sati, must took you forever to do. Well done girl!
ReplyDeleteGreat picks for the categories, though I disagree w/ some but hey, it's still fun to read it all the way through. Best Fight: Elizabeth Shaw vs the fetus in Prometheus, ahahaha, sooo true!!
Of course I agree about your comments on Idris and Lee... man, I really have to see the latest Twilight just for Lee then. And yes about Theron and Fassbender, two extremely gorgeous people + incredible chemistry. Imagine if Fassy is playing a REAL human! :D
Thank you, glad you liked it!
DeleteNew Twilight was really fun, both Michael Sheen and Lee were awesome in it, I think you won't hate the movie :)
If Fassy was real human in it, the film would lose credibility for me if there was no space threesome with him, Charlize and Idris :P
Space Threesome w/ Fassy, Charlize & Idris would probably make the whole theater spontaneously com bust from too much heat!! :D
DeleteI'm pretty sure the screen would not be able to take it and it would be like a scene from Inglourious Basterds with the fire everywhere :)
DeleteFrom the ones i've seen i like your choices for best pictures, although for me Moonrise Kingdom was on my list of best 2012 movies. Also, i didn't find Hathwaay overrated in les Miserable, and i actually liked ZDT.
ReplyDeleteFor Cloud Atlas and Moonrise Kingdom, did the dogs die on set?Cause i think there is a big difference between faking a animals death for a scene...and letting animals die in real life
Oh God no, if they died on set there would be a massive scandal like the one with the Hobbit were the animals died due to negligence on the farm.
DeleteI really hare it when there are scene where the animal is shot or killed without any justification in the script. I was fine with something like this in No country for Old men where Josh Brolin shoots a dog which is chasing him but in these two movies there was absolutely no reason for those scenes.
That was one hell of a list- best I have ever seen, and most comprehensive. Yey for all the Flight, Django Unchained and Silver Linings Playbook love.
ReplyDeleteThat Django bag scene was hilarious!
I really need to see Killer Joe soon!
Thank you! :)
DeleteThe bag scene was awesome, I laughed so much on the movie mostly at Waltz's lines and when Tarantino exploded :P
Killer Joe is awesome, I bet you will like this one!
Great roundup Sati!
ReplyDeleteGlad to see De Niro get some love.
Thank you! He was terrific in SLP.
DeleteDenzel is my win too! A fantastic performance let down by an above average film. Juno Temple (Killer Joe) and Anne Hathaway (TDKR) both make my lineup aswell. Did you not like the visuals in Life of Pi?
ReplyDeleteI liked them, but I kinda liked more subtle work in Skyfall or Looper. Life of Pi looked nice and everything and the tiger was so well made at times I thought it was real - though I think they actually used real animal for certain moments.
DeleteBut it's just a little too much for me. The Hobbit was a bit too much for me too, but I enjoyed visuals there a bit more.
i appreciate the love for killer joe: it had such a great ending. but savages only gets 45/100? 10 points higher than liz and dick? ugh. its was my favourite summer movie. but i understand: oliver stone is very... divisive.
ReplyDeleteI like some of Stone's movies - Natural Born Killer and U Turn, to name two - but Savages disappointed me :(
Deletei just stumbled onto your blog from imdb and the first post i read is right on the nosey
ReplyDelete'dark knight rises' is not only the best film of the year (well, last year) it is the best super hero movie ever hands down ... also the dark knight is the best super hero series ever hands down ... chris nolan is the best working director and writer (co-writer i see usually) working today ... he has a vision that is just stunning and his films are my most anticipated ones (he's replaced scorcese for me these days)
just as a reminder to folks, i rewatched 'The Prestige' for probably the twentieth time just last night and that is another 'perfect' film from nolan that i don't think i'll ever tire of watching
i'm looking forward to combing thru your blog :)
I love The Prestige too, it's my favorite movie from Nolan right after TDKR. I wonder what will Nolan's next movie be.
DeleteThanks, I hope you'll enjoy it!
i think that some great director should tackle 'Moby Dick' once and for all and do it true justice ... with today's cgi it is a perfect time to make this into a two or even three part epic that does the great american novel justice ...
Deleteadmittedly tho, despite Gregory Peck's own feelings that he was not 'old enough' to do the role justice, whenever i've read the novel (having read it the first time in 6th grade and probably a couple dozen times since), i hear his voice when i reads Ahab's lines ... what an amazing voice and i still think it's truly Ahab ...
there are lots of good young actors around now too for a really fine Ishmael as well ... Richard Basehart was older than Peck i think in the '56 version lol ... not that he was bad but you need something of a late 20s (tho his age is never pinned down in the book) drifter, a bit fresh-faced and still open and wide-eyed to the world ... I can't think of anyone off-hand ... i'm getting old and just like my parents never could remember actor's names after 1965, i'm stuck somewhere in the '90s i think lol
anyway just coasting thru your blog and i really like it ... it will be a regular stop for me i'm sure ... very good work
One movie I didn't see on your list that I would recommend is Safety Not Guaranteed. Right now it is my second favorite film of the year.
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen it yet but it's on my watchlist :)
DeleteThis is AWESOME. What an epic post.
ReplyDeleteYour top ten is one of my favorites so far -- all 10 are films that I really enjoyed last year. Always great to see TDKR get more love, too.
Glad you liked it!
DeleteThat's great! I feel like the Academy is really losing its touch as what I consider 3 very best movies of the year didn't receive a single nomination.
Tremendous post, Sati! I think you and I are both huge fans of Killer Joe, and the fact that the Academy ignored everything about that movie is shameful (but not surprising). It has the NC-17 kiss of death stabbed to it...just like Shame.
ReplyDelete6. Funniest scene. "Every time Pat worked in Tommy being dead in a conversation in Silver Linings Playbook." I literally just laughed out loud...the animated gif of this cracks me up every time. Cooper really, really surprised me.
Thank you! Yeah they are scared of any unique and edgy films, this is why Les Mis, half of crap of a movie is getting attention - literally no matter how bad the movie turns out if it's 1) lavish 2) based on something famous 3) sprinkled with stars it's getting noticed by the Academy. Repugnant.
Delete