A film reviewer, a poem dabbler and an admirer of words. They are funny things aren't they? Words, where would we be without them? On TV probably.
Published December 20th 2012
[ADVERT]The films that I believe are the best of best this year in a spectacular year of cinema. I tipped this year to be a blockbuster year and I must say it did not disappoint.
In at number twelve is Jo Nesbo's Headhunters. This is a great film that has elements of a classic, action thriller from start to finish. This is in the list because it is just so addictive with its suspense and action.
In at number eleven is 21 Jump Street. I have put this film in the list because it was highly anticipated to be one of the best comedies of the year and I think it possibly was THE best. There was non-stop laughter for 90 minutes.
In at number ten is The Raid. This is two spots higher than Headhunters because it is at least two times heavier than it too. The action and violence is crazy and it has you glued to the screen to see what conflict comes next. This is all guns-blazing!
In at number nine is The Imposter. This makes the list due to its sheer mysteriousness. It's an edge-of-your-seat experience that can easily turn into a real-life horror. It makes you realise trust can be fragile and who can you actually believe? This film will make you think 'wow'.
In at number eight is Once Upon a Time in Anatolia. This is a long film at 157 minutes but you are definitely happy to sit for that the long haul to watch this beautifully shot crime film. There is a lot of great acting in the movie with a solid narrative to complement the cast.
In at number seven is The Dark Knight Rises. After the huge pressure of TDKR's predecessor being The Dark Knight, many thought this would not live up to expectation. For me, this is better than The Dark Knight. I think the narrative is more polished; the camera work is more elegant, dark, and glossy. Also at times, the film is quiet with very little noise occurring and I found this chilling and engaging. Top film-making by Christopher Nolan.
In at number six is The Perks of Being a Wallflower. This is a sweet, coming-of-age drama that stars three young actors that easily portray their incredible talent onto the big screen. Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Ezra Miller are stunning in this film as they all deal with their daily problems but also have the hassle of growing up. Everything about this film I found positive. Hats off to the director (also the writer of the novel) Stephen Chbosky.
In at number five is The Master. This is simply in this list for the performances by Joaquin Phoenix and Phillip Seymour Hoffman. This will probably go down as one of Paul Thomas Anderson's best pieces of work but he owes everything to these two leading men. Incredible performances to make 'The Master' a masterpiece.
In at number four is Life of Pi. Firstly, Ang Lee knows how to make incredible films. 'Brokeback Mountain', 'Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon' and 'Hulk' are all brilliant ,well, forget the latter but you catch my drift. Life of Pi is no different to his previous work of arts. It is visually stunning and colourful with a superb performance by Suraj Sharma; plus, who doesn't love a tiger? This will be a huge hit for Mr. Lee.
In at number three and receiving the bronze medal is Skyfall. In my review I stated that this possibly is the best Bond film of all time and I still stand by that comment. It has a brilliant theme tune, the best villain ever, Daniel Craig finally became a suitable Bond, two beautiful Bond girls and of course some amazing supporting cast members. Sam Mendes really showed his class in being a director when he took on such a flagging franchise in recent years to pull out this gem.
In at number two and receiving the silver medal is Argo. This is a brilliant adapted film based on true events by the incredible Ben Affleck. I never used to be a fan of Affleck but since he has turned his hand behind the camera and produced this delight and 'The Town', he has certainly risen in my estimations. 'Argo' is sheer brilliance with its suspense and gripping tale of trying to get a group of people out of a country that wants to kill them. It is as simple as that, but Affleck makes the film addictive, emotional and really makes the audience thrive for the group's success.
In at number one, receiving the gold medal and therefore my film of the year is... Silver Linings Playbook. This was such a close battle with 'Argo' but it simply came down to which film I could watch again right now as I write this up, and it was SLP. This is a beautiful story of a man and a woman struggling with mental issues as they toil to find a balance and peace by spending time with each other to help find a medium. The two stars are supported by some amazing performances by Robert De Niro and Chris Tucker that really help cap this film off as five-star masterpiece.
I hope you find this article interesting and also that you agree with me. Please leave some comments below with your thoughts. Many thanks.
Interesting choice........will definitely check out some of these. Did you read my review of Argo on WN? Is it possible you can provide a link to it from your article?
Cheers,
James
Definitely agree with SLP being at number one! I saw it recently and there would be no issue with seeing it over and over and over.
The acting, plot, everything was perfect. It was dysfunctional, fun and kept me on the edge of my seat for the entirety of the movie. The performances by Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper were OUTSTANDING and should not be missed! If you didn't already love JLaw and BCooper, then this movie will definitely seal the deal.
