The 10 Best Movies of 2012

By: Jacob Elyachar and guest commentator Lauren Cohen

Are you tired of partying on New Years’ Eve?

If you answered yes to that question, then you should try catching one of these amazing movies that took the Box Office and moviegoers by storm!

Along the way in this countdown, you will also read commentary from my friend, Lauren Cohen, who writes movie reviews that can be seen on Examiner.com and her own blog: Lauren Reviews Movies.

So without further ado…here are the Top 10 Movies of 2012:

 

10. The Master

Paul Thomas Anderson’s the Master transports moviegoers inside the secret world of “The Cause,” a cult like religion led by the charismatic Lancaster Dodd (Phillip Seymour Hoffman).   Dodd becomes a mentor to a former solider turned vagabond Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix), who transforms the veteran into his right hand man. The film is currently nominated for three Golden Globes all for Hoffman, Phoenix and Amy Adams (who played Dodd’s influential wife).

Lauren Cohen: This is a movie that operates best when you commit to it, take it all in and appreciate its many individual merits without the need to know what overall purpose it attempts to serve – the type of film that proves to be both rewarding, and at times even frustrating. Though it wouldn’t make my list, what truly makes it a standout is Joaquin Phoenix’s astounding performance as Freddie Quell.

9. Skyfall

James Bond’s 23^rd big screen adventure also marked the 50^th anniversary of the film franchise.  Skyfall was basically an excellent hybrid between an all-new adventure and a love letter to the franchise.    In addition, this film marked Dame Judi Dench’s final appearance as M, featured a creepy and chilling performance from Javier Bardem as the film’s antagonist and a stunning theme song performed by Adele.

LC: I was so happy to see that you included this one on your list, Jacob. Skyfall is, in my opinion, one of the best Bond movies ever made.  Not to mention it boasted one of the creepiest villains of the year, brought to life by the great Javier Bardem. It is a must see!

 

8. The Dark Knight Rises

Christopher Nolan’s last Batman adventure successfully inserted multiple comic book storylines including the Dark Knight Returns, Knightfall and No Man’s Land to the final chapter to the Dark Knight trilogy.  In this final chapter, Batman (Christian Bale) returns from exile to face the demonic Bane (Tom Hardy) and team-up with the enchanting but deadly Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) while trying to save Gotham from chaos.  This was one of the best Batman films because it kept moviegoers on edge and in suspense for the entire length of the film.

LC: I know a lot of people are split on this one, but for me The Dark Knight Rises absolutely deserves the title as one of the top 10 movies of the year.  This is the utterly intense final chapter that fans of this series needed and deserved.  One with an ending that couldn’t be more perfect or poignant – an ending that does justice to one of the greatest film trilogies of all time.

7. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Part one of the epic Lord of the Rings prequel showcased how Bilbo Baggins became friends with Gandalf and how he possessed a certain golden ring.  In addition, keep an eye out for cameos by Elijah Wood, Hugo Weaving, Cate Blanchett and Christopher Lee, who all reprise their roles from the now-classic 2000s film franchise.

LC: I have to be the bad guy here…I actually did not care for The Hobbit. The visually effects were fantastic, especially if you saw it in 3-D, but three hours, really? And not just three hours, but also that bloated length for part one of a trilogy? There was a lot that I enjoyed in The Hobbit, such as Martin Freeman’s performance and the “Riddles in the Dark” scene with Gollum (surprisingly my favorite scene of the year), but I can’t overlook the fact that I felt bored for too much of The Hobbit to call it a total success.

6. Flight

Robert Zemeckis’ Flight told the storyline of airline captain Whitt Whitaker (Denzel Washington)’s fall from grace due to his consumption of alcohol and drugs.   In addition to Washington’s tour-de-force performance, John Gatins’ screenplay, Alan Silvestri’s music and Don Burgess’ crisp cinematography makes Flight , an impeccable film, that might see some action in the upcoming award season.

LC: Flight works so well because of the stirring performance from Denzel Washington as Captain Whip Whitaker.  He took a character that did not deserve any sympathy and not only made me care what happened to him, but truly made me think about the moral quandary at the center of the plot.

 

5. Marvel’s The Avengers

It was one of the most unfilmable movies of all-time but somehow screenplay writer/director Joss Whedon and his incredible cast of A-listers including Robert Downey, Jr., Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner and Scarlett Johansson managed to bring this film to life.   The summer blockbuster reset the standard that every new superhero film will need to follow if they want to dominate the Box Office and please the fans at the same time.

LC: The Avengers was one of the most fun popcorn flicks of the year.  With Iron Man, Captain America, The Hulk and Thor all in one movie, how can you go wrong? I do not think it deserves to make the Top 10 – not because it is a superhero movie or a big action blockbuster, but because I do not think the middle portion holds up as well after repeat viewings.  Still, it has one of the absolute best end fight sequences of the year.

4. Life of Pi

Ang Lee’s Life of Pi was one of the most visually appeasing films of 2012.   This adventure drama based on Yann Martel’s 2001 novel showed how 16-year-old Pi Patel (Suraj Sharma) survived at sea for 227 days with only a tiger to keep him company.   From Sharma’s incredible performance to the unbelievable visual effects, Life of Pi will enchant audiences and make them feel that they transported to the middle of the ocean.

LC: Life of Pi, which is based on the bestselling/ “unfilmable” novel, is one of the most visually stunning movies I have seen in quite some time.  It takes a story that, when translating to screen, could very well start to drag, and turns it into a thrilling adventure with the best 3-D of the year.

3. The Artist

While a few selected cities were able to see this amazing film in 2011, a majority of audiences across the globe got to see this stunning tribute to old Hollywood this year.   Academy Award Winner Jean Dujardin shined as the aging silent film star George Valentin while Berenice Bejo glowed as the sparkly Peppy Miller.   The Artist walked away with five Academy Awards earlier this year.

LC: I saw this one it 2011, and while I thought that it was an incredible sweet ode to silent cinema, I did not think it deserved to win the Best Picture Oscar. But with great direction and a positively charming performance from Jean Dujardin, this unique film is a worthy addition to any top 10 of the year list.

2. Argo

One of the most intense movie experiences that I had in 2012 was due to see this incredible action drama.  Argo is based on the events of the 1979 Canadian Caper.  This was an incredible film that showed off Ben Affleck’s amazing directorial abilities.  In addition to Affleck in the director chair, Argo was also peppered with superb performances from Bryan Cranston, John Goodman and Alan Arkin.

LC: Argo is a movie that works so well because of the incredible direction by Ben Affleck.  We already know how the story is going to end – but that does not change the fact that I was alternating between shaking and laughing during those last 20 minutes.  This is an example of a director taking an astounding true story and really doing justice to it, and it is because of that Argo is one of the Top Five movies of the year for me.

 

1. Lincoln

The most powerful film of the year was Steven Spielberg’s biographical drama of the 16^th President of the United States: Abraham Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis).   During the last months of the Civil War, Lincoln had to face multiple challenges including the passing of the 13^th Amendment in Congress, trying to peace backing the nation and also dealing with conflict with his family members.  Lincoln had everything from stunning performances and impeccable screenplay to amazing cinematography and a strong score from John Williams.

LC: If you break Lincoln apart, it pretty much is at the top of its game in all the big categories: gorgeous lighting and cinematography, a sharp and engaging screenplay by Tony Kushner, and an absolutely phenomenal performance by Daniel Day-Lewis, who is a surefire front-runner for his third Oscar for his portrayal of the 16^th president.