Top 10 Films of 2012

Although for the second year in a row my personal tastes vary wildly from those of Oscar voters, I can happily say that I saw a lot of films that affected me greatly in 2012. And that, to me, has always been film’s purpose: to generate feeling. Awards are a luxury, emotion is a necessity. In addition, I’m really pleased by the fact that all of the films listed below are so completely different. It was a fine year, and an eclectic one as well. (Titles link to my initial reviews. DVD dates are US specific.)

10. Holy Motors – dir. by Leos Carax

Earlier this year, I dubbed 2012 as The Year of the Polarizing Film. No truer word could describe Leos Carax’s first feature film in 13 years, the baffling, belligerent, and rather brilliant Holy Motors. Denis Lavant, playing a different character in every passing scene, redefines the artifice of acting in the most thrilling way possible. To divulge any more of the plot in the limited space I have here will prove to be an exercise in futility. Simply put: Holy Motors is best discovered for yourself, if you so dare.

I saw this film in a packed theater in November. The minute it concluded, my girlfriend looked at me and quietly said, “Uh, did I miss something?” My reply: “I think we all did.” Exactly. Available on DVD Feb. 26

9. Killing Them Softly – dir. by Andrew Dominik 

To continue the case of 2012 as the year of polarization, I present Andrew Dominik’s frustratingly deliberate Killing Them Softly as my next piece of evidence. The film’s story is thrilling – a mob enforcer (played with searing bravado by Brad Pitt) sent to New Orleans to whack two morons who jacked a card game – its execution, however, is not. And that certainly isn’t a bash. Killing Them Softly aims to be languorous. It opens doors it has no intention of closing, dives into wistful monologues that have nothing to do with plot (but everything to do with character development), and resolves in a way that many would not consider resolute. I loved the hell out of its careful tone. Many did not. And so it is and so it goes. Available on DVD March 26

8. Oslo, August 31^st – dir. by Joachim Trier 

Oslo, August 31^st is as fine a character study as was released this past year. A steely addiction drama capturing a life-in-a-day of a helpless young heroin fiend, the film slowly unveils its protagonist’s inner chaos with the pace of a snail, but the conviction of a judge. Anders Danielsen Lie, in one of the most criminally ignored performances of this or any year, portrays a haunting figure, a man we’re afraid to follow, but simply cannot leave in isolation. A cold and relentless movie feat. Currently available on DVD and Netflix Instant

7. Magic Mike – dir. by Steven Soderbergh

Perhaps the year’s biggest Joke’s On You cinematic achievement, Steven Soderbergh’s Magic Mike was so much more than people initially gave it credit for. Smart, engaging, technically sound, structurally tight and, it must be said, fucking hilarious. Matthew McConaughey cemented his career comeback with a should’ve-been-nominated-for-an-Oscar role as sleazeball Dallas, while Channing Tatum proved that maybe just maybe, he’s got a little acting hustle. In short, Magic Mike was exactly what I’d hoped it’d be. And a little damn more, too. Currently available on DVD

6. Zero Dark Thirty – dir. by Kathryn Bigelow

Zero Dark Thirty was released wide only this morning, yet it has already stirred up more controversy than any film released in 2012. The film chronicles the arduous struggle to find and kill Osama bin Laden, and it does so in painstaking detail. With the precision of a surgeon, Kathryn Bigelow invites us into the closed-door moments (torturous and office-friendly alike) that are only absolutely necessary to propel the film’s plot. Personally, I think the people who refer to Zero Dark Thirty as pro-this or anti-that need to look closer. Bigelow’s film isn’t condoning or condemning anything, it’s a fly-on-the-wall approach to the greatest manhunt in human history. And a damn perfect one at that. Currently in theaters everywhere

5. Amour – dir. by Michael Haneke

It’s funny, Amour is easily Michael Haneke’s most controlled and… easy film, yet it’s certainly one of his most gut-wrenching. Known as the subtle provocateur of taxing works of art like Code Unknown, Caché, and Funny Games, Haneke chose a more reserved (but no less devastating) route with Amour. The film tells the story of a husband’s increasingly inability to care for his wife following her debilitating stroke. As Anne’s health deteriorates, Georges’ self worth falls right with it. In two of the finest performances of the year, Jean-Louis Trintignant and Emmanuelle Riva flawless convey the destruction of age and the heartbreak of despair. I mean really, who could possibly make a scene with a man, a pigeon, and a small blanket one of the most suspenseful sequences of the year? Michael Haneke, that’s who. Currently in a handful of independent theaters, expect more soon

4. Flight – dir. by Robert Zemeckis

There was no film released last year that I defended more tirelessly that Robert Zemeckis’ brutally honest Flight. Cinematically, I’m completely taken with the pain, anguish, deceit and possible resurrection of addiction. Noting this, Denzel Washington’s performance as a hopeless alcoholic in this film is one of the finest portrayals of addiction I have ever seen. Many would argue that a solid acting gig isn’t enough to root a feature film. Many would (and have), but certainly not me. The film’s climatic scene at a National Transportation Safety Board hearing was the single most devastating sequence I witnessed in any film in 2012. It was so profound, I put myself through it twice. Twice of many to come. Available on DVD Feb. 5

3. Compliance – dir. by Craig Zobel

As a rule, I firmly believe that no prior or subsequent research needs to be conducted in order to enjoy a movie. This includes reading books, evaluating comics, familiarizing yourself with a public figure – nothing. A film should be able to stand on its own as just that, a film. Which is why I cautiously admit that upon seeing Craig Zobel’s Compliance, I spent the better part of an evening scouring the Internet to see if what the film depicted was true.

Compliance tells the story of a seemingly average day at a fast food restaurant located in Middletown America. Soon into the day, shift manager Sandra (an alarmingly good Ann Dowd) receives a call from a police officer that one of her workers, Becky (Dreama Walker, heartbreaking in her acceptance) has stolen money from a customer. What develops is a cruel and unusual game in which the man on the phone exposes Becky to continued acts of humiliation at the hands of her friends and co-workers. Now, considering how far Compliance goes, I initially found it too improbable to be true. But I couldn’t get it out of my head. I went home and researched the film to death and, much to my disgust, discovered that everything depicted in Zobel’s film actually happened. Everything, documented unapologetically by security cameras. So, research or not, once you’ve seen Compliance, it’s impossible to turn your back on it. Currently available on DVD

2. Django Unchained – dir. by Quentin Tarantino

In looking at the films listed above, I can say honestly that they are a fair encapsulation of why I love movies. There’s pain, humor, heartbreak, some are dark, others are warm – collectively, they describe my cinematic tastes rather well. Django Unchained holds a different, special distinction. The others remind me what I love about certain movies, Django Unchained reminds me why I love movies period.

Tarantino’s bombastic slice of slavery pulp fiction was as daring and grand a film accomplishment as anything he’s done. He put a lot on the line in depicting Americans at their worst, for which he’s currently reaping praise and criticism alike. What I think some of QT’s detractors often forget is that the man never sets out to do anything more than make a film. He’s not setting a social agenda, he’s not telling you to view this thing his way – no, not in the slightest. The man aims to entertain, to elicit emotion, fervent delight – he wants nothing more than to make movies that are acutely aware that they are movies. The fact that his films are timestamp testaments of the best that the medium has to offer is simply a bonus. Currently in theaters everywhere

1. Rust and Bone – dir. by Jacques Audiard

As much as it pains me, I often find myself on the side of the argument lamenting that They don’t make ‘em like they used to. Sure, many good movies are made today, but measure the most recent Best Picture nominees to those of, say, 1975, and then you’ll get what I’m driving at. Despite this, it’s safe to say that I like a fair amount of movies every year. But love is a different word, one reserved for films special, and emotions reserved.

Jacques Audiard’s Rust and Bone is such a film. It’s a brutal, remorseless examination of sacrifice, desolation, and, most quizzically, true love. When we meet Ali (Matthias Schoenaerts), I’m not entirely sure we’re meant to like him. He’s a dishonest, thankless man, and a neglecting father (at best). And when he literally runs into Stéphanie (Marion Cotillard) I again don’t think it’s Audiard’s intention to make her likeable. She’s bitchy, despondent and generally cold natured. So, the moral dilemma of the film (from the audience’s perspective) is that once tragedy strikes Stéphanie, why are we supposed to give a shit? If we didn’t care about her then, why bother now? It’s a tough gamble, but one that, in my humble eye, Audiard executes miraculously.

The standard American formula for most romance films dictates that when the two unhappy people meet, they will form a quick and unyielding love for one another. Unanticipated tragedy only helps blossom the relationship. And that’s precisely what sets Rust and Bone apart: Ali and Stéphanie are essentially miserable with their lives, and once they circumstantially come together, it isn’t as if their misery is magically converted. Their affection for one another is never implicit, but rather reached through mutual understanding and horrifying consequence. In short, from the moment I fell under Rust and Bone’s spell, I was utterly enamored with its pain. Was, and am, and forever will be. Currently in a handful of independent theaters

And 10 More for good measure (alphabetically):

Argo, Ben Affleck

Beasts of the Southern Wild, Benh Zeitlin

Cabin in the Woods, Drew Goddard

The Central Park Five, Ken Burns, Sarah Burns & David McMahon

The Dark Knight Rises, Christopher Nolan

Haywire, Steven Soderbergh

The Imposter, Bart Layton

Killer Joe, William Friedkin

The Master, Paul Thomas Anderson

Silver Linings Playbook, David. O Russell