Why do I have to stick to just 10 good pictures of 2012? Keeping in mind there are still some contenders out there, here's my current list in alphabetical order:
- Argo - As a suspense thriller, the film had all my friends talking for days. Intense drama, well acted.
- Cloud Atlas - Several stories told as mirrors of various time periods with actors doing several roles.
- Hope Springs - Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones show what acting means.
- Hyde Park on Hudson - It got panned but has some scenes that are acting gems. Randy FDR meets those people from "The King's Speech."
- Liberal Arts - Quiet film by Josh Radner about a college graduate returning to his alma mater in hopes of finding why life has lost meaning. Radner and Emily Olsen play off well with each other.
- Lincoln - A history lesson with compassion, superb acting and loving production values.
- Looper - Time travel with Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon Levitt playing the same character. Fascinating premises. Also stars Emily Blunt.
- Moonrise Kingdom - A quirky growing up picture with great cast and top notch writing.
- Safety Not Guaranteed - My sleeper Indie picture of the year, but I loved every moment. A man advertises for a companion to time travel with him--"safety not guaranteed." When a reporter meets him, she falls in love... and so do we.
- Salmon Fishing in the Yemen - Emily Blunt and Ewan McGregor play out a love story in the deserts surrounding the Yemen and get us rooting for the impossible.
- Silver Linings Playbook - Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence show that Streep and Jones aren't the only couple who know how to act.
- Skyfall - James Bond dies and is resurrected as he should be.
- The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel - A charming tale of elderly travelers trying to find themselves at the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in India.
- The Life of Pi - A boy and a tiger learn about acceptance and love in a boat in the Pacific Ocean. Ang Lee shows what great filmmaking looks like.
- The Woman in Black - Daniel Radcliff stars in a scary Gothic thriller with real chills and style.
My top pick vascillates daily between Lincoln and The Life of Pi. Both are magnificent.
I haven't seen Life of Pi yet, I guess I will have to put it on my list. I hadn't even heard of Safety Not Guaranteed.
ReplyDeleteWill Les Mis make its way onto your list?
You MUST see Life of Pi. Then rent Safety Not Guaranteed. If Les Mis is even half as good as it looks, I'm sure it will be on the list. (Notice I didn't include your favorite, Anna Karenina.)
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