2012 was one of the best years for film in a long time. Can 2013 live up to it? This year is packed with high-profile superhero sequels (Iron Man, Thor) and ambitious blockbusters (Pacific Rim, Elysium), as well as the return of a few long dormant franchises (Pitch Black, Anchorman). Read on...
#15 - Captain Phillips
A riveting drama featuring one of Tom Hanks' best performances. Hanks is stellar as the captain of a hijacked cargo ship; the way he's able to play the relatable everyman is uncanny. His character is cautious, intelligent and level-headed (how most of us see ourselves) and watching him deal with his increasingly desperate situation is both gut-wrenching and satisfying. The remaining cast of mostly unknowns does an outstanding job, particularly Barkhad Abdi as the leader of the motley crew of pirate hijackers. The film's precise pacing and Paul Greengrass's masterful direction intensifies the action and keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end, yet it deftly remains focused on its characters. The saturated visuals and appropriate score give the film an industrial yet intimate feel that is difficult to describe but highly effective. Finally, I really enjoyed the amount of detail and realism that went into making this film, it's quite impressive from a technical standpoint.
#14 - Rush
An intriguing, character-driven sports drama. Ron Howard delivers one of his best films in years, full of energy and intelligence. Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl are both outstanding in their roles, effortlessly sparring both mentally and physically with one another, creating a fiercely watchable rivalry that drives the film. The supporting cast of relatively unknowns also does a fantastic job. Olivia Wilde is the one weak point, but not for lack of trying. She just doesn't fit into the 1970's era very well. The racing sequences are nail-bitingly intense and surprisingly varied in terms of appearance, and are a highlight of the film while also managing to serve the story. Visually, everything looks suitably saturated to emphasize the 70's vibe, which is also helped considerably by the appropriate classic rock soundtrack.
#13 - The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Hobbit Trilogy continues in smashing fashion, picking up immediately where we left off in An Unexpected Journey. The returning cast remains excellent, especially Richard Armitage as Thorin Oakensheild (I just like to say that name...it rolls off the tongue). The new cast absolutely kills it: Orlando Bloom falls back into the role of Legolas like it was nothing, Evangeline Lilly handles herself well on the big screen as new character Tauriel, Luke Evans is exceptional as Bard the Bowman and Benedict Cumberbatch terrifies as the imposing voice of Smaug. Story-wise, things move much quicker despite the long runtime since we're essentially in the second act thanks to great pacing and editing. Gandalf's side plot is also interesting and will hopefully pay off big time over the course of Part 3 in linking the Hobbit Trilogy to the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. The action is just as good, if not better this time around. The showstopper is a kinetic battle along a river that has the cadre of dwarves floating in barrels being besieged by Orcs while Legolas and Tauriel execute of all sorts of insane combat maneuvers using the environment and an endless slew of arrows. It's a creative, original setpiece that rivals many of the ones from LOTR (though it doesn't top the sheer awesomeness of this scene). The visuals and score are excellent as expected, though admittedly the score just isn't as epic as the ones from the LOTR. Peter Jackson once again does a phenomenal job of bring Middle Earth to life, creating more diverse settings that are new and fresh yet instantly feel like part of the world. It seems like the studio's gambit to split one book into three films may very well yield another solid fantasy trilogy, even if the decision was made solely to generate more revenue.
#12 - World War Z
An excellent, character-driven horror-thriller. Despite the troubled production and the difficulty of adapting the source material, World War Z is an intense, globetrotting zombie apocalypse film packed with realistic characters, some wild setpieces and a few nifty concepts. Brad Pitt is outstanding, giving one of his best (and most subtle) performances ever. The rest of the cast doesn't get much screentime, but they do a damn fine job, James Badge Dale in particular. The story presents things in a realistic manner, detailing the global panic as well as the military and political ramifications, which I found way more interesting than I thought I would. The film's action scenes are wild but not overdone. Two scenes had me on the edge of my seat: a zombie outbreak on a plane (something I've always wanted to see) and a nail-biting scene where the characters sneak through a lab complex infested by the undead. Being PG-13, the gore is minimal but not distracting and the zombie make-up looks great. I also really dug the cinematography, which reminded me of Aliens on more than one occasion. My only real complaint is the shoddy CGI. Some of it's really good, seamlessly blended with practical effects, but other times it looks terrible, and with a budget of ~$200M, this is inexcusable.
#11 - Trance
A wild psychological thriller that blurs the line between fantasy and reality. It begins as a heist film, but quickly morphs into a mind-bending character study that holds your undivided attention. The performances are outstanding, particularly James McAvoy, whose character arc is tragic yet fascinating. Rosario Dawson also stuns as an emotionally bruised hypnotherapist. The hypnosis angle propels the story and allows for an absorbing non-linear narrative with plenty of twists and turns to keep you guessing. Danny Boyle infuses the film with a hypnotic quality that serves the story and harkens back to some of his older films, namely Trainspotting and Shallow Grave (which you should check out if you haven't already). A pulsing electronic score and trippy cinematography further enhance the dream-like atmosphere. There's so much more that I want to say, however I don't want to spoil anything. If it's any indication, immediately after watching it I wanted to watch it again, which hasn't happened since 2010's Inception.
#10 - Elysium
A spectacular sophomore effort from Neill Blomkamp that is both action-packed and thought-provoking. Damon and Copley give fantastic performances, the sci-fi weapons & gadgets are wildly creative (not to mention viscerally violent), the contrasting visuals and mechanical score are stellar and the social commentary is potent. It seems District 9 was no fluke; Blomkamp may be the next James Cameron.
Neill Blomkamp's follow-up to the outstanding District 9 had A LOT to live up to. Many feared that his sophomore effort would disappoint, proving that District 9 was just a fluke. Well, Mr. Blomkamp, you can rest easy sir. Not only is Elysium as good as (if not better than) District 9, it establishes Blomkamp as one of our most talented modern filmmakers who can handle both big budgets and big ideas with equal expertise. I don't say this lightly, but this guy has the skills and the vision to be the next James Cameron. Elysium was my most anticipated film this year behind Pacific Rim, and it exceeded my near-insurmountable expectations. Matt Damon is stellar, bringing the character of Max Da Costa to life with an emotionally resonant performance while also channeling his inner-Bourne badassery. Sharlto Copley further broadens his range playing a terrifyingly psychotic mercenary named Kruger who is one of the best bad guys I've seen in years; he's a truly evil character who is both intelligent and threatening. These two are the standouts and they're complemented by an excellent supporting cast including Jodie Foster, William Fitchner, Alice Braga and Wagner Moura. The story is as epic as they come, and while the core elements are nothing new, the way they're handled makes them feel refreshing and engaging. The futuristic world built by Blomkamp is deep and feels lived in, reminding me of Blade Runner and Aliens on multiple occasions. The technology and weapons are, like District 9, wildly creative and viscerally violent; people get blown apart in ways that are shocking yet mesmerizing. The film's visual style is dynamic, showing a filthy, disgusting Earth which contrasts sharply with the pristine living conditions on Elysium. The social commentary on everything from immigration to healthcare is handled well, not coming off as too preachy or heavy-handed, and more importantly not distracting from the plot. The gorgeous cinematography and pounding mechanical score also deserve special mention, as does the impressive CGI. My only minor complaint is the overuse of "shakycam" for some of the fight scenes. It doesn't allow us to savor the action, but it's still effective. Other than that, this is a spectacular sci-fi adventure that should not be missed! Hats off to you Mr. Blomkamp!
Neill Blomkamp's follow-up to the outstanding District 9 had A LOT to live up to. Many feared that his sophomore effort would disappoint, proving that District 9 was just a fluke. Well, Mr. Blomkamp, you can rest easy sir. Not only is Elysium as good as (if not better than) District 9, it establishes Blomkamp as one of our most talented modern filmmakers who can handle both big budgets and big ideas with equal expertise. I don't say this lightly, but this guy has the skills and the vision to be the next James Cameron. Elysium was my most anticipated film this year behind Pacific Rim, and it exceeded my near-insurmountable expectations. Matt Damon is stellar, bringing the character of Max Da Costa to life with an emotionally resonant performance while also channeling his inner-Bourne badassery. Sharlto Copley further broadens his range playing a terrifyingly psychotic mercenary named Kruger who is one of the best bad guys I've seen in years; he's a truly evil character who is both intelligent and threatening. These two are the standouts and they're complemented by an excellent supporting cast including Jodie Foster, William Fitchner, Alice Braga and Wagner Moura. The story is as epic as they come, and while the core elements are nothing new, the way they're handled makes them feel refreshing and engaging. The futuristic world built by Blomkamp is deep and feels lived in, reminding me of Blade Runner and Aliens on multiple occasions. The technology and weapons are, like District 9, wildly creative and viscerally violent; people get blown apart in ways that are shocking yet mesmerizing. The film's visual style is dynamic, showing a filthy, disgusting Earth which contrasts sharply with the pristine living conditions on Elysium. The social commentary on everything from immigration to healthcare is handled well, not coming off as too preachy or heavy-handed, and more importantly not distracting from the plot. The gorgeous cinematography and pounding mechanical score also deserve special mention, as does the impressive CGI. My only minor complaint is the overuse of "shakycam" for some of the fight scenes. It doesn't allow us to savor the action, but it's still effective. Other than that, this is a spectacular sci-fi adventure that should not be missed! Hats off to you Mr. Blomkamp!
#9 - The Conjuring
An extremely eerie and effective horror film. Director James Wan's love letter to 70's horror manages to be terrifying and compelling at the same time. The characters are fantastic, especially Patrick Wilson in a subtly damaged performance and Vera Farmiga as his wife. The 1970's vibe is right on, nailing the look and the feel as well as the soundtrack. The sound design is impeccable and is part of what makes the film so scary because it builds tension perfectly. The brilliant cinematography also enhances the dread. Wan's direction is also impressive, including some wildly creative shots and an expert sense of pacing. It reminded me of one of my all time favorite horror films, 1980's The Changeling, multiple times. One other thing that I really enjoyed as a horror fan was the Warren's "Room of Evil", filled with all sorts of creepy objects just begging for their own story. You could build a franchise or TV series around it, with each object having its own terrifying tale, similar to The Cabin In the Woods.
#8 - Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters
Endlessly entertaining, it's the prime example of a guilty pleasure. It goes all out, making the most of its premise, constantly impressing me with its ingenuity. The witch designs in particular are impressive and unique. Further sweetening the deal is an able cast, kinetic direction, nudity for the sake of nudity, a killer score and some downright gorgeous scenery and cinematography.
#7 - The Wolf of Wall Street
A masterpiece in every way imaginable and arguably the best film of the year. Martin Scorsese crafts a dizzying extravaganza of excess and greed that is both shocking and hilarious and just goes to show you what a true celluloid virtuoso can do. In this digital age of filmmaking, The Wolf of Wall Street is basically Scorsese saying "Step aside kids, let me show you how it's done" and I couldn't be happier with the result. Leonardo DiCaprio gives the craziest performance of his career; his presence is magnetic and you hang on his every word, itching to see what insane stunt he's going to pull next. He's one of my favorite actors and this film further cements him as such. When is he going to win an Academy Award? The rest of cast is outstanding, especially Jonah Hill as one of DiCaprio's sketchy cohorts and Kyle Chandler as a relentless FBI agent. Like Goodfellas and Casino before it, The Wolf of Wall Street follows these characters as they start from the bottom and work their way up, only to have it all come crashing down, and nobody does it better than Scorsese. All his trademarks are present, from the freeze frames to the creative tracking shots, and the soundtrack is diverse and compliments the action perfectly. Even though the film is three hours long, it flies by in no time thanks to superb pacing and editing. The most surprising thing? This film is hilarious. Scorsese is known for a lot of things, but comedy has never been one of them, yet he delivers probably the funniest film of the year thanks to a brilliant script by Terence Winter. The sheer ridiculousness of the character's actions and conversations make the nutty shenanigans in the Hangover series look utterly tame by comparison. Finally, there seems to be a lot of public backlash over the copious amounts of nudity and sex in the film. Scorsese's films have never featured much nudity, but they didn't need to. In the case of The Wolf of Wall Street it actually makes sense in regards to the story because these characters are all about overindulgence and excess. You're supposed to balk at it and be offended by it...that's kind of the point. Anyway, this is Scorsese's best film since The Departed (though to be fair his entire filmography is pretty damn awesome) and one of the best of the year.
#6 - 12 Years of Slave
An incredibly harrowing story of survival that shows the horrors of slavery but doesn't dwell on them or become preachy. The performances are phenomenal, Ejiofor and Fassbender especially; I think Ejiofor will win Best Actor. The visuals and score were also top-notch.
#5 - Prisoners
A cryptic but utterly compelling crime drama fraught with mystery and intrigue and featuring incredible performances from both Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal.
#4 - American Hustle
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David O. Russell continues his streak of outstanding films with American Hustle, an impeccably acted and beautifully shot crime saga that deftly balances comedy and drama. The ensemble cast is one of the best in years, featuring Oscar-caliber performances from Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence that are simultaneously tragic and amusing yet utterly relatable. The supporting cast is also fantastic, with Jeremy Renner, Louis C.K. and a certain screen legend all turning in stellar performances. The story is engaging on multiple levels and is one of the reasons the film works so well. It functions as a character study, a true crime story and a time capsule to the past à la Goodfellas, a comparison I do not make lightly. Furthermore, the "who's playing who" angle never overpowers the narrative, remaining interesting and holding your undivided attention. The 1970's is recreated magnificently down to the finest detail, whether it's the cars, the clothing, the decor or the rockin' 70's soundtrack, everything looks and sounds exactly like it should and really brings the film to life. This may be Russell's best film to date; his direction is masterful in terms of vision, execution, and pacing. I expect this film to be nominated for a handful of Oscars come awards season.
#3 - Gravity
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Visually stunning and emotionally resonant, Gravity is the most breathtaking film you will see all year. Director Alfonso Cuarón spent two years making this and his hard work has paid off magnificently. The film maintains an amazing amount of realism regarding space travel and astrophysics yet still manages to be a compelling character study with smart religious overtones. Sandra Bullock and George Clooney both deliver Oscar-worthy performances that are convincing and surprisingly sincere. Bullock in particular proves she is more than capable of carrying a film by herself. Clooney's soothing voice fits perfectly with the silence of space and his rapport with Bullock is impeccable. The special effects are incredible and are worthy the price of admission alone. Coupled with the meticulous sound design and gorgeous cinematography, the visuals actually had me in awe at times, something that has become increasingly harder to do in this age of CGI madness. Cuarón's direction is also impressive, with numerous creative tracking shots framed with expert precision. However, my favorite part about the film, and the one that makes it special, is that Bullock's journey leaves a lot open to interpretation but I don't want to elaborate for fear of spoiling anything.
#2 - The World's End
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Outstanding, easily one of the best comedies of the year and a testament to Edgar Wright's ability to seamlessly blend genres to tell an interesting story. The ensemble cast is extraordinary (especially Pegg & Frost), the sci-fi vibe is right-on, the synthesizer score is magnificent and the biting social commentary is welcome. It’s the perfect capper to the Blood & Ice Cream Trilogy!
I don't think there's another trilogy of films that has been created with this amount of precision and dynamism. The "Blood & Ice Cream Trilogy" or "The Cornetto Trilogy" as it's come to be known is director Edgar Wright's magnum opus; a melding of genres that is grand in its vision and execution yet grounded by its characters. It began with a horror film (Shaun of the Dead), continued with an action film (Hot Fuzz) and ends with a zany but sincere sci-fi send-up. The World's End is outstanding, easily one of the best comedies of the year and a testament to this talented filmmaker's ability to seamlessly blend genres to tell an interesting story. The ensemble cast is extraordinary: Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are brilliant, as to be expected, and they're complemented by Eddie Marsan, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, Rosamund Pike and 007 himself, Pierce Brosnan (a possible trend considering Timothy Dalton was in Hot Fuzz?), all in fine form. Pegg's manic energy electrifies the witty dialogue, which is chock full of sly references, heavy subject matter and genuine pathos. The intelligent script handles the biting social commentary with ease, espousing ideas on the dangers of technology as well as examining the human condition...all in the guise of sci-fi comedy. On the technical side, the film looks and sounds spectacular, with the visuals emulating a plethora of sci-fi classics (The Thing and Invasion of the Body Snatchers immediately come to mind) and the score mimicking many of the classic synthesizer scores of John Carpenter. The special effects also look great and are quite effective. I had insanely high expectations for this film and it delivered on all fronts, as a delightful dark comedy, as a thought-provoking science fiction film and as a capper to one of the greatest trilogies ever produced. Very impressive, Mr. Wright!
I don't think there's another trilogy of films that has been created with this amount of precision and dynamism. The "Blood & Ice Cream Trilogy" or "The Cornetto Trilogy" as it's come to be known is director Edgar Wright's magnum opus; a melding of genres that is grand in its vision and execution yet grounded by its characters. It began with a horror film (Shaun of the Dead), continued with an action film (Hot Fuzz) and ends with a zany but sincere sci-fi send-up. The World's End is outstanding, easily one of the best comedies of the year and a testament to this talented filmmaker's ability to seamlessly blend genres to tell an interesting story. The ensemble cast is extraordinary: Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are brilliant, as to be expected, and they're complemented by Eddie Marsan, Martin Freeman, Paddy Considine, Rosamund Pike and 007 himself, Pierce Brosnan (a possible trend considering Timothy Dalton was in Hot Fuzz?), all in fine form. Pegg's manic energy electrifies the witty dialogue, which is chock full of sly references, heavy subject matter and genuine pathos. The intelligent script handles the biting social commentary with ease, espousing ideas on the dangers of technology as well as examining the human condition...all in the guise of sci-fi comedy. On the technical side, the film looks and sounds spectacular, with the visuals emulating a plethora of sci-fi classics (The Thing and Invasion of the Body Snatchers immediately come to mind) and the score mimicking many of the classic synthesizer scores of John Carpenter. The special effects also look great and are quite effective. I had insanely high expectations for this film and it delivered on all fronts, as a delightful dark comedy, as a thought-provoking science fiction film and as a capper to one of the greatest trilogies ever produced. Very impressive, Mr. Wright!
#1 - Pacific Rim
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One of the most creative, entertaining and visually impressive movies I've seen since Jurassic Park! Guillermo del Toro masterfully creates an immersive world full of colorful characters & mindblowing action setpieces. He crams as many nifty ideas as he can into the film, adding tons of cool touches that expand the film's universe, along with the vibrant cinematography and appropriate score.
My most anticipated film of the year lived up to and exceeded my insanely high expectations! Pacific Rim is one of the most creative, entertaining and visually impressive movies I've seen since Jurassic Park! Guillermo del Toro masterfully creates a believable, immersive world full of colorful characters and mindblowing action setpieces. The cast is outstanding, especially considering that none of them are A-list stars. This adds some authenticity to the characters and the film's world. Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi and Idris Elba all own their roles, while Charlie Day and Ron Perlman add some levity. The story sets things up and gets moving quickly, which was refreshing in the age of repetitive superhero origin stories. It allows del Toro to go absolutely crazy and cram as many nifty ideas as he can into the film. I don't want to spoil anything here, but there are so many cool little touches that expand the film's universe and had me smiling from ear to ear. I loved how sci-fi the film got, really taking its premise and running with it. The monsters ("kaiju") are wildly inventive, with each one topping the previous one in terms of design and ferociousness. Watching them battle the mechs ("jaegers") is a sight to behold, even more so in this age of CGI overload. The cinematography is classic del Toro, with vibrant ambers and teals permeating every scene, and the score by Ramin Djawadi is excellent. All in all, this is an emotionally resonant, incredibly cool thrill ride from start to finish!
