Top 15: 2012

You may recall that at the end of 2012 I wasn't exactly thrilled with the cinematic output from the year. Having seen 76 films classified as 2012 release I managed to make a Top 10% list, a Top 7 if you like, now five months later I have seen over 30 more 2012 releases and am ready to go on record for my full end of year Top 15 list.

There's only two films I am yet to see from my list of films that just might fit on this list, Holy Motors and Your Sister's Sister but based on experience the chances are slim. There's a certain amount of hesitancy to publish whilst the Oscar winning film in 15th place is still on the list but there's no denying the quality of it however middle of the road, designed to appeal to the masses, historically inaccurate it is.

15. Argo Dir. Ben Affleck

A solid, tense thriller that speaks volumes about the declining quality of intelligent Hollywood cinema. The kind of movie they made by the bucketload in the 70's but the fact that it was made in 2012 means it stands out from the crowd.

14. The Pirates! Band of Misfits Dir. Peter Lord

I know it's silly but it's supposed to be and I can't help but love it. The only film on this list that I've seen five times and the one with the highest laughs per minute ratio.

13. Trouble With The Curve Dir. Robert Lorenz

Much like Argo this is the kind of good quality intelligent cinema they used to make all of the time but sadly seems to be few and far between in modern Hollywood. A quiet drama about human relationships filled with pitch perfect performances that doesn't try to be anything it's not.

12. Chronicle Dir. Josh Trank 

A refreshing take on the "found footage" sub genre, an interesting superhero origin story, an exciting blockbuster type movie made on a relatively low budget and a great example of what a exciting young director with some imagination and ingenuity can achieve.

11. Bachelorette Dir. Leslye Headland

Brilliantly funny with some great comedic performances and the reunion of Adam Scott with Lizzy Caplan.

10. Premium Rush Dir. David Koepp 

Joseph Gordon Levitt and Michael Shannon in a race against time, each other and themselves, one is good and one is bad (no prizes for guessing which is which,) it is pure adrenaline fuelled entertainment and great fun.

9. Django Unchained Dir. Quentin Tarantino

So many moments of brilliance, so many moments of absurd self indulgence from the director, great performances, too much length, didn't like the soundtrack.

8. Jess + Moss Dir. Clay Jeter 

Like a book of beautiful moving photographs with words and music added for effect. A perfect example of Appalachian poverty and the rich life (however mythical) of the inhabitants. This was a real surprise and should be seen by far more people than have already.

7. No Dir. Pablo Larraín

A political thriller with strong direction, a clear vision and a superbly restrained central performance from Gael Garcia Bernal. Really highlights the flaws in Argo.

6. Atmen Dir. Karl Markovics

At 94 minutes this way too short, I could have done with another two hours. Slow burn realist cinema with naturalistic performances, haunting, brilliant. Almost nothing happens but so much is experienced. Wonderful cinema.

5. Barbara Dir. Christian Petzold

Understated. Quiet. Slow. Precise. Restrained. Picturesque. Detached. Minimalistic. Subtle. Intelligent. Barbara is all of these and a tense thriller too. Will surely make an international star of Nina Hoss.

4. Damsels in Distress Dir. Whit Stillman

A charming, witty and wonderful surprise, not least because Greta Gerwig can act. A little bizarre, not for everybody for sure but I keep having a wonderful time with Whit Stillman's flowers and it gets even better on repeat.

3. End of Watch Dir. David Ayer

Powerful and enjoyable movie making made even better with incredibly strong acting performances. It sits in your head and demands to be revisited again and again.

2. Killer Joe Dir. William Friedkin

Very cool. Very creepy. Superb performances all round but especially from McConaughey. Everything was understated including the great direction from Friedkin. A highly enjoyable film with one of the best blow job scenes ever seen in cinemas. This too gets better with age.

1. The Deep Blue Sea Dir. Terence Davies

A beautiful and mesmerising film featuring a powerful performance from Rachel Weisz that was strangely overlooked by the Academy. Slow moving and understated, this study of passion is told in the repressed style of the period and will be poking and prodding at your mind for days after watching I'm certain.

Feel free to throw rocks or start a debate, leave some comments or tweet me @bbbgtoby.

30 Countries Parts 23 - 25 (Festen/Sonbahar/Indigenes)

Festen (1998) Dir. Thomas Vinterberg

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Part 23 of the 30 Countries project.

For the purposes of this project this movie is classed as at least partially being of Danish origin as per its listing on imdb.

It's fifteen years since I first heard of the Dogme '95 movement and ten years since I studied the first group of films and the two major players involved in drafting the manifesto, von Trier and Vinterberg, and yet somehow viewing Festen has eluded me until now.

Festen is quite clearly the best film made under the guidelines, not just for the visceral nature of the storytelling but the way Vinterberg made the obstructions, the restrictions, the vow of chastity work for his film. It seems like all other Dogme directors actively sought out loopholes but Vinterberg embraced the challenge and it shows in the quality of the finished product.

A celebration of 60 years of a man's life brings his family together at their large country estate and a shock announcement causes conflict is essentially the entire premise but what you get is so much more. Incredibly raw performances not diffused or heightened through the tools and tricks of the industry combined with the handheld cameras create a real sense of being a guest at this awful party whilst the content itself holds a mirror up to Danish society in a more subtle way than von Trier's Idioterne but it is no less shocking than a retard gang bang.

Sonbahar (2008) Dir. Özcan Alper

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Part 24 of the 30 Countries project.

For the purposes of this project this movie is classed as at least partially being of Turkish origin as per its listing on imdb.

Another piece of wonderful minimalist cinema (I'm nothing if not consistent) this time from a Turkish filmmaker making his debut feature. Yusuf, a political prisoner, is released from jail on health grounds and returns to the tiny village community he grew up in.

As you might expect from that premise this is a film with a political message which is at times forced upon the viewer, a distraction from the contemplative mood of the piece as Yusuf comes to terms with everything he gave up for his ideals, his new found freedom, his mortality and his struggle to reintegrate with village life.

Packed with beautiful vistas and long moody takes without dialogue it is the use of ambient noise, or at times a lack of, that most impressed and so the occasionally invasive use of melodramatic music only served to irritate rather than accentuate the moment.

The sub story of his connection with a young boy and a prostitute are pretty standard narrative devices but never feel arbitrary, which in itself is impressive but the emotional arc they guide you through places them as some of the more impressive uses of the trope I have seen.

Quality low budget world cinema from a strong new voice worth keeping an eye on.

This film can be found on two great letterboxd lists for the discerning viewer looking to try something new: Take 100: The Future of Cinema and Looking for Something to Watch.

Indigenes (2006) Dir. Rachid Bouchareb

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Part 25 of the 30 Countries project.

For the purposes of this project this movie is classed as at least partially being of Algerian origin as per its listing on imdb.

Indigenes: Colonial African soldiers who fought for France in World War II.

With a similar structure to Samuel Fuller's The Big Red One Rachid Bouchareb's Oscar nominated war movie is less a statement on the folly of war but a political picture about the mistreatment of these Indigenes by the French. It's the same old racist story told again and again and it does get any less galling, each injustice feels as fresh and offensive as if it was the first time and it is that power that caused a policy change by the French government in 2006 after President Chirac saw the movie.

Yep. It took 60 years and this movie to make the French do what was right. But let's not judge them too harshly, the Americans forced racial segregation in the racially enlightened countries wherever their troops were stationed during this war.

The overly political nature of the film detracts from the usual power of the futility of war stance a great war movie will have but there are plenty of your typical explosions and gun fights to keep war enthusiasts happy.

 

30 Countries Parts 20 - 22 (The Singer/Lorna's Silence/The Man From Nowhere)

The Singer (2006) Dir. Xavier Giannoli

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars

Part 20 of the 30 Countries project.

For the purposes of this project this movie is classed as at least partially being of French origin as per its listing on imdb.

Of all the films from all of France I had to pick this one.
 
The Singer is Gerard Depardieu as a morose old man trying to reclaim his youth. What was I thinking?! I'd wanted to see the guy actually act in his native tongue without being the fat comedic buffoon he seems to have become of late. And he didn't let me down. That aside this movie is incredibly tedious and more than a little creepy, what with him constantly trying to sleep with young women. I know there are people like this in real life, and I know that it works quite often but it's sure no fun to watch for two hours.

Lorna's Silence (2008) Dir. The Dardenne Brothers

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Part 21 of the 30 Countries project.

For the purposes of this project this movie is classed as at least partially being of Belgian origin as per its listing on imdb.

A last minute substitute in the challenge but certainly one that was worth it.

Very cool. A thriller of sorts, told in the realist style with incredibly natural performances. My first experience of the Dardenne Brothers was quite something. A look at immigration issues within the European Union at present without the hysteria applied by the media.

Lorna is not your average benefit or health care tourist, she works hard and has a dream. To achieve that dream she has entered in to an agreement with some shady characters.

What the brothers achieve with this premise and their style of realism is something quite remarkable, drip feeding you information through plot development that in turn feeds character development which is followed up by taking the film in a direction nobody could guess.

This is powerful cinema and I look forward to more from these brothers.

The Man From Nowhere (2010) Dir. Jeong-beom Lee 

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Part 22 of the 30 Countries project.

For the purposes of this project this movie is classed as at least partially being of South Korean origin as per its listing on imdb.

I recorded this off of the world movies channel nearly a year ago because it sounded interesting but clearly not interesting enough to actually watch. It took Berken's great challenge to get me to actually press play.

Turns out it's a great example of the South Korean revenge flick with more than a touch of The Man With No Name trope and I should have seen this sooner.

What sets The Man From Nowhere above the also rans is not gratuitous violence or a protagonist of super human strength but style and heart. I'm a sucker for anyone who recalls the infinitely cool Jef Costello and does it well and Phoneshop Ghost is built of similar stuff, but with highly skilled unarmed combat training in his past.

An equal mix of dramatic intrigue and violent action Jeong-beom Lee directs both aspects with equal skill, this is intelligent action cinema bringing to mind Johnnie To's 2009 film Vengeance and if a move in to Hollywood isn't soon forthcoming I'd be very surprised. I'd prefer it if he didn't but money talks.

The middle section features a real dip in excitement as the film gets bogged down in plot but the action in final third more than makes up for it in terms of incredible action scenes.