The best 10 films of 2012

Tim Burton's Frankenweenie is the writer/producer/director's most personal film since Ed Wood and it shows with the amount of love and care he seems to have invested into each character, sculpture, and moment in this tender homage to the special bond that exists between a boy and his dog.  The young boy seems most-certainly to be a young representation of Burton himself and his dog Sparky has as much personality as any of the "human" characters in the film.  Frankenweenie will make you laugh, cry, and remember that first pet that you had when you were a child.  It was the best animated movie of 2012 - hands down.This movie will kick your eyes' ass. Writer/director Gareth Evans gives us one of the most exciting straight-up action movies in years, focusing on eye-popping fight scenes, a breathtaking pace, and a simple but effective concept to create a highly effective film.  This Indonesian treasure has already spawned a sequel-in-the-making and turned star Iko Uwais from a delivery driver to an international action star nearly overnight.  Give it a chance and you won't regret it. Peter Jackson's return to Middle Earth is a phenomenal success, capturing the feel of the original trilogy while also giving us something new.  The controversial choice of filming the tale in 48 frames-per-second actually pays off, allowing Jackson to create some of the most stunning images scene anywhere in the movies this year.  The CGI also benefits from the higher resolution and again, Jackson is able to seamlessly combine live action, traditional models, and computer imagery to paint his portrait of Middle Earth.  Though it may be a tad on the long side, fans of the book will love that nearly every detail is captured with loving care.  The movie really picks up once the fellowship gets out of the Shire, resulting in one of the most entertaining popcorn movies of the year.View the list »
The Best Films of 2012

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As the Oscars approach us its always nice to look back on the previous year's accomplishments. 2012 was a great year for the movies. Though only eleven movies are listed here, there were at least a dozen more that were worthy of this list. Because of the inherently subjective quality of "best of" lists, what you see here is my personal favorite films of the year. This list will include movies not always recognized the awards circuit because sometimes the best movies aren't the most "serious" films but the ones that entertain us the most. So with that in mind, let's start it off with...

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  • Peter Jackson's return to Middle Earth is a phenomenal success, capturing the feel of the original trilogy while also giving us something new.  The controversial choice of filming the tale in 48 frames-per-second actually pays off, allowing Jackson to create some of the most stunning images scene anywhere in the movies this year.  The CGI also benefits from the higher resolution and again, Jackson is able to seamlessly combine live action, traditional models, and computer imagery to paint his portrait of Middle Earth.  Though it may be a tad on the long side, fans of the book will love that nearly every detail is captured with loving care.  The movie really picks up once the fellowship gets out of the Shire, resulting in one of the most entertaining popcorn movies of the year.
  • This movie will kick your eyes' ass. Writer/director Gareth Evans gives us one of the most exciting straight-up action movies in years, focusing on eye-popping fight scenes, a breathtaking pace, and a simple but effective concept to create a highly effective film.  This Indonesian treasure has already spawned a sequel-in-the-making and turned star Iko Uwais from a delivery driver to an international action star nearly overnight.  Give it a chance and you won't regret it. 
  • Tim Burton's Frankenweenie is the writer/producer/director's most personal film since Ed Wood and it shows with the amount of love and care he seems to have invested into each character, sculpture, and moment in this tender homage to the special bond that exists between a boy and his dog.  The young boy seems most-certainly to be a young representation of Burton himself and his dog Sparky has as much personality as any of the "human" characters in the film.  Frankenweenie will make you laugh, cry, and remember that first pet that you had when you were a child.  It was the best animated movie of 2012 - hands down.
  • Joss Whedon had a good 2012.  Cabin in the Woods is a homerun and shows that inventive horror films can still happen in this day and age.  The best thing about it is that it is hyper-aware of the genre in which it resides.  By incorporating elements that we commonly see in horror movies but then giving them a twist, it keeps us guessing as to what will actually happen, even though we are familiar with what usually happens.  Throw in all the subtle (and not-so-subtle) nods to classic horror iconography and Whedon's talent for clever dialogue and you've got a movie that keeps you guessing while also making you laugh.  It was the best horror film of 2012 and worth checking out even for those who only casually watch the genre.
  • Fans of writer/director Wes Anderson will be delighted with his latest entry, which is both a slight departure from his typical stage-play style and one of his best movies to date.  The story is a perfect depiction of first love, as heroes Sam and Judy rebel against their own authority figures in order to spend some time together in New England woods.  The way that Anderson and fellow screenwriter Roman Coppola handle the scenes between Sam and Judy will make even the most life-weary person remember their own first loves with a smile.
  • What Cabin in the Woods did for the horror genre, The Avengers does for the superhero genre.  Writer/director Joss Whedon manages to get each hero (ego) adequate screen time and still produce an intriguing and involving storyline.  His surefire dialogue helps accomplish this and so do all of the great performances delivered by the cast - particularly Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man and Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk.  The special effects are as stunning as anything ever done before and the last 40 minutes of the film are so intense, they seem to go by in 10 minutes.  In the end the true reason behind the success of The Avengers succeeds is the humor that is injected into the characters.  Whedon's superheroes don't take themselves too seriously (except for Captain America maybe) and so the whole tone of the film comes across as tongue-in-cheek rather than cheesy.  This is very welcome to a genre that has a tendency to ditch fun for melodrama.  Here, Joss Whedon is having the most fun he's ever had in a movie studio and it shows.  This one is worth a watch even to those who generally don't watch superhero movies (film snobs - you know who you are).  Give it a chance, it won't disappoint.
  • One of the best time travel movies ever made, Looper works on an intellectual level and as a great action/thriller film.  Joseph Gordon-Levitt gives another impressive performance, this time playing a young version of Bruce Willis.  He does the action-icon justice too; capturing all of his trademark smirks, mannerisms, and facial expressions to a tee while also bringing his own qualities to the role.  The science fiction-y story about hit-men who kill people sent back from the future has moments that will horrify you, moments that will make you scratch your head, and moments that will keep your eyes glued to the screen.  Writer/director Rian Johnson has created a serious piece of work that succeeds numerous levels and is a beautifully crafted film that will stay in your head long after you finish watching the last scene.
  • Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper prove that they're not just pretty faces but serious actors in this charming, sleeper hit of the year.  Both Lawrence and Cooper give phenomenal performances portraying characters that suffer from different types of mental illness but seem to find comfort in being around each other.  Combined with a very smart screenplay by writer/director David O. Russell and writer Matthew Quick, these characters keep you guessing about what they will do next.  They are unpredictable, but completely interesting to watch.  Robert DeNiro's performance as the father who suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder and is a huge Philadelphia Eagles fanatic is one of the actor's best in the past 10 years.  By the end of Silver Linings Playbook, you will find yourself smiling ear-to-ear, surprised by the both the likability and poignancy of a film about a bunch of crazy people.
  • If anyone has had a better year than Joss Whedon, it is writer/director Ben Affleck.  Affleck has surely established himself as an elite filmmaker with this modern masterpiece of suspense that captures a heroic rescue mission that nobody knew a think about until almost 20 years later when it was de-classified by the US government.  There are so many great things about Argo; the way it re-creates the time period and settings with immaculate detail, the way it makes us care about the characters and fear for their safety, and especially the way it keeps you glued to the screen for the third act, which is as good as any put on screen in 2012.  Affleck is quickly emerging as one of the brightest new talents behind the camera with this effort and his previous - The Town.  Though he was snubbed by the Oscars for the "Best Director" category, his work here is easily some of the best of the year and well worth seeing if you haven't already.
  • Quentin Tarantino delivers one of his best films yet with Django Unchained, the second film in his "revisionist history trilogy" that pays homage to the western genre with the added flair that only Tarantino is capable of bringing to the table.  Typical of his movies, the performances here are great all-around, with the standouts being Christoph Waltz as the hilarious hit man Dr. King Schultz and Leonardo DiCaprio as the twisted plantation owner Calvin Candie.  Tarantino's dialogue is top-notch and brings a sense of "cool" to the various characters that move throughout the story.  The violence is hyper-exaggerated but never too hard to watch and Tarantino even shows restraint (by his standards) in the way that he depicts slavery.  Above all, Django Unchained is fun to watch, and that's saying something about an historical drama about slavery.  Rumor has it that Tarantino is contemplating retirement so lets hope that we get a few more gems like this from the uber-talented filmmaker.  This one was the best of its year.
  • Steven Spielberg crafts his best film in ten years with Lincoln, the performance showcase for the brilliant Daniel Day-Lewis.  Here, the actor loses himself in portraying the stoic President during a time when he achieved his greatest feat - the abolition of slavery.  At certain moments, its truly hard to recognize that this is the same person who played Bill 'The Butcher' Cutting in Gangs of New York.  He is a shoe-in for the best actor Oscar and should be.  He embodies a Lincoln who is soft-spoken, thoughtful, and funny - stealing every scene that he is in.  Spielberg is smart enough to let the performance take center stage, but he still manages to assert his own style and show his meticulous adherence to historical detail as seen in the rich costume design and convincing sets he puts on-screen.  If you're a fan of historical dramas, this one is a must-see as its the best of its kind to come along in some time. 
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, Chandler Movie Examiner

Kyle Walraven loves movies. Most of his free time is spent watching movies, writing about movies, or reading about movies. The goal of this page is to spotlight some of these films that might not be all that well-known. While the occasional blockbuster will be covered, the focus will be on...

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