Mid-June means we’re around halfway through 2012 already; how time flies, which led me to reviewing the year in film so far. As always January brought with it some great post-Oscars films (which the UK always get months after the US). This time around we were blessed with War Horse, The Descendants, Shame and Young Adult. Yet as is easily predicted 2012 is still to deliver its best efforts, we’ve lots to look forward to, including; The Dark Knight Rises, Looper, Lawless, Killing Them Softly, Skyfall, Argo, Cloud Atlas, Gangster Squad, The Master, The Hobbit and tonnes more.
It’s been quite a good year, with some interesting indies and thrilling blockbusters. Just missing out on the top 5 are; Cosmopolis (a cold but very human journey into a not too unlikely future… though I know everyone doesn’t feel the same way), Chronicle (an entertaining origins movie played out via the dreaded ‘found footage’ genre) and the insane The Cabin In The Woods (the revolutionary horror pastiche which was highly flawed yet fun). There was also 21 Jump Street and Aardman’s Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists that had their moments yet everything else was boringly average.
Below is a list of my top 5 faves of 2012 thus far:
5. Moonrise Kingdom
Wes Anderson epitomises the word ‘auteur’; his films are so very Wes Anderson sometimes it can be overpowering, yet with Moonrise Kingdom he’s on a return to form, channelling the childlike naivety of Rushmore. His unique style seems so very suited to this quirky, 60s world in which two rebellious kids go missing on an island prompting a search party that involves a foolish cop (Bruce Willis is great, showing his vulnerable side) and a group of Khaki Scouts led by Edward Norton (who somehow oozes cool even in a scouts uniform). With moments of genius and a hilarious turn from Bill Murray (he throws his shoe!) this dramedy beautifully crafts a true vision of childhood and the highs & lows of growing up.
Want to write about the stuff you're passionate about and have your work read by an audience of over 10 million a month? Click here to become a contributor.
8 Comments
I have to completely disagree with Jeff Who Lives at Home, in my opinion it was pretty weak. I thought it was lacking, it wasn’t funny but it didn’t really compensate in other ways like Funny People or 50/50 for example. I would certainly put Chronicle in over it personally, and if we’re going by UK release then The Muppets would be in my top 5, no film has put a smile on my face quite like that for some years!
Hi Curtis thanks for the reply, personally I thought ‘Jeff’ had great, believable characters and the final scene was very emotional (not as much as 50/50 tho)whereas Chronicle had 2D characters and the ‘found footage’ style was very forced. The last third of Chronicle was amazing yeh but very forgettable, I was much more connected to ‘Jeff’ and as a filmmaker, inspired by how they made a great film on such a small budget.
Hey Adam, I’m a big fan of Jason Segel (Big up the Muppets again *cough*)…but I didn’t feel he fit well with Ed Helms, who I thought was miscast. I’ll give you the final scene was moving, but personally it didn’t make up for what had gone before and wasn’t emotional to the extent to make me forget that I hadn’t really enjoyed the majority of the film.
Haha, I didn’t think much to The Muppets, sorry. Yeah I can see your point. I think I just went in with no expectations and enjoyed the change of pace. I liked the humour, I liked the characters.
The Muppets was awesome good sir! I challenge you to a duel, sock puppets at dawn!
so You guys have an article on how Prometheus was a dissapointment now you have an article on how its been the best movie so far of the year…
different writers, different opinions.
We don’t all have the same opinions and different writers offer different perspectives, if anything offering two sides to an argument is a good thing in my eyes.