I have two lists of Bests from 2012, one is a list of the films I enjoyed watching the most. The ones I found the most entertaining. The second list is of the films I found to be... The "best" films, and by that I mean the films that I found managed to bring me into them the most, more serious films perhaps, often more character driven. They may not have been the most entertaining, but the ones where I cared about the characters the most.
This week I will take you through the list of my favourite films of 2012:
10. Rise of the Guardians
I didn't know a lot about this film going into it, so my expectations were more or less none existing. I was blown away with how fun and exciting it was. Many will not agree with me here, but to me it was the best animated film of 2012. I think many Pixar fanboys and girls out there actually were rather threatened by Rise of the Guardians, the Pixar backlash against it has been pretty big, at least in the circles I frequent. I hear a lot about the film lacking in story, being mediocre and just generally a lackluster. But I must say, I cannot disagree more. Apart from the human kids, the story was magical and fantastical, with some of the coolest and most incredible fairy tale incarnations I've ever seen.
9. The Grey
This was another film I didn't know much about, I just knew that Liam Neeson was in it, which is good enough reason on its own to watch a film. Watching The Grey I was immediately attracted to the characters, all of them were fun to observe and I was on the edge of my seating wanting to know how everything turned out for them all.
I am a sucker for survival films, people stranded, having to find their own way home and fighting the elements. So I may not be trusted be trusted on this particular film, I sure haven't heard a lot about it before or after I saw it.
8. John Carter
Aah, John Carter was an amazing piece of cinema. Andrew Stanton did a fantastic job on this film, I'm still sad it did so poorly at the box office that we'll never see the many sequels Stanton has said he wants to make. The title of the film is horrible, and many have speculated that it's the sole reason John Carter did as bad as it did, I can't disagree. A film filled with awesome aliens, universe-sized plot and inter-planetary telegrams isn't really reflected in the title "John Carter".
7. Moonrise Kingdom
This is getting old fast, but I really didn't know anything about this film going in. I knew its title, and that many of my favourite filmmakers seemed to adore it. The film is one of the most charming I've ever seen, its quirks makes me smile to this day. The plot is so simple, but the characters are among the most interesting I saw this year.
6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
I saw the trailers of this film and fell in love with it right away. I love stories of teens in love, but not being able to fully communicate it to who matters. I've heard that people who had read the book found the film not living up to its potential, fortunately I had not read the book and managed to enjoy the film to the fullest. It's the nicest experience I've had at a cinema this year.
5. Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
When I first saw the poster for this film I laughed harder than I had in ages, it sounds so incredibly boring. The title couldn't be more uninspired, and the story it tells isn't something that strikes me as interesting. It was so dull sounding that I just had to watch it, and when I did, all my expectations were shattered. It's hands down the films I've laughed the most out loud at in years. It's an incredible story, about ordinary characters you just can't help but love and loathe at the same time.
4. The Dark Knight Rises
Batman Begins was a completely fine film, not great, but nor horrible either. It was just okay. I did not like The Dark Knight at all, I found it uninteresting and couldn't engage with the characters on any meaningful level. Therefore I was extremely surprised of how much I loved The Dark Knight Rises. It was everything I had ever wanted in a Batman film. I almost can't explain why, but it was amazing.
3. The Avengers
Oooh, The Avengers. What an awesome film. I knew a lot about this film going in, I had seen all of the films leading up to it and I had followed all of the rumours leading up to the release.
From the logo first came up till the last words of the end credits rolled by I was in trance. It was fantastically fun, exciting, hilarious and just entertaining! I watched it in theatres six times, yeah, I liked it.
2. The Hunger Games
I heard a lot about the film leading up to its release, and I was intrigued. A few months before its release I bought the trilogy of books. I finished it in three days. The books were amazing, I've never had that kind of a relationship to a set of characters before. At some parts I was in love with Katniss, in others I hated her with all my might. The film did not disappoint in any way, which is a first for me when it comes to adaptations.
1. Iron Sky
If you've followed me on twitter the last few years you will have witnessed how much I've tweeted, retweeted and retweeted again information about Iron Sky. I followed its production from late pre-production till after its release. I was afraid I had far too high expectations for the film, that it would disappoint me so much that I'd never be able to even like it. But I was wrong, I loved it from beginning to end. I knew the backstory for almost every shot of the film, I could've given a commentary track lasting a tenfold of the film's length, but it was still exciting. From that first shot of the Earth, till the last shot of Mars I was in a trance. I couldn't believe it had been better than I had hoped, I went to see it again as soon as I could, the very next screening. It was still amazing. And it was still amazing the third, the fourth and the fifth time I went to see it in cinemas. It looks beautiful, it sounds gorgeous, if it had a smell I bet it would be delicious.
Epilogue:
You may have noticed that this Tuesday's post hasn't been about Jeremiah Harm. That is because I've realised I was far too ahead of me starting a weekly thing on its production. The weeks there has been news, it's been little, and mostly there isn't anything that really is of any interest to most people. Therefore I am now only doing the Jerry Update when there actually are something to keep you up to date on.
There will still, however, be posts on Tuesdays. They will just be about other things film related, it could be reviews of new films, general opinions, news on other films, or just a simple list with short opinions like this week. But I promise you, unless there are special circumstances there will be a post every Tuesday.
Be sure to come back next week for my list on the films I thought the best of 2012.
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