My 50 favorite films I watched in 2012
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- DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsEllen BurstynJared LetoJennifer ConnellyThe drug-induced utopias of four Coney Island people are shattered when their addictions run deep..This destroyed me. Probably never going to watch it again (I don't know if I could), but obviously the best film I watched in 2012.
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsGuy PearceCarrie-Anne MossJoe PantolianoA man with short-term memory loss attempts to track down his wife's murderer.Exceptionally original and interesting. It makes you pay attention, and I love films like that.
- DirectorLana WachowskiLilly WachowskiStarsKeanu ReevesLaurence FishburneCarrie-Anne MossWhen a beautiful stranger leads computer hacker Neo to a forbidding underworld, he discovers the shocking truth--the life he knows is the elaborate deception of an evil cyber-intelligence.I don't know why it took me so long to watch this. Hype is deserved.
- DirectorTim BurtonStarsEwan McGregorAlbert FinneyBilly CrudupA frustrated son tries to determine the fact from fiction in his dying father's life.I was under the impression Ed Wood was Burton's best film, but I think this trumps it. Damn near perfect.
- DirectorStephen ChboskyStarsLogan LermanEmma WatsonEzra MillerCharlie, a 15-year-old introvert, enters high school and is nervous about his new life. When he befriends his seniors, he learns to cope with his friend's suicide and his tumultuous past.Chbosky's novel is probably my favorite book of all time, and I don't know if he could have done a better job with the adaptation.
- DirectorDrew GoddardStarsKristen ConnollyChris HemsworthAnna HutchisonFive college friends head out to a remote cabin for a getaway, but things don't go as planned when they start getting killed. They soon discover that there is more to the cabin than it seems.Best and most original horror movie of the year and the decade thus far. Not sure if it can be surpassed, either.
- DirectorTony KayeStarsEdward NortonEdward FurlongBeverly D'AngeloLiving a life marked by violence, neo-Nazi Derek finally goes to prison after killing two black youths. Upon his release, Derek vows to change; he hopes to prevent his brother, Danny, who idolizes Derek, from following in his footsteps.Easily could change you as a person. Damn.
- DirectorRian JohnsonStarsJoseph Gordon-LevittBruce WillisEmily BluntIn 2074, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent into the past, where a hired gun awaits - someone like Joe - who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by sending back Joe's future self for assassination.I don't know if it's possible for me to hate a movie about time travel, especially one this good.
- DirectorQuentin TarantinoStarsJamie FoxxChristoph WaltzLeonardo DiCaprioWith the help of a German bounty-hunter, a freed slave sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal plantation owner in Mississippi.Another Tarantino masterpiece. The man can do no wrong.
- DirectorWes AndersonStarsJared GilmanKara HaywardBruce WillisTwo 12-year-olds, who live on an island, fall in love with each other and elope into the wilderness. While people set out on a search mission, a violent storm approaching them catches their attention.Perhaps a step down from the magical Fantastic Mr. Fox, but that's the only negative thing I can say about it.
- DirectorEli CraigStarsTyler LabineAlan TudykKatrina BowdenAffable hillbillies Tucker and Dale are on vacation at their dilapidated mountain cabin when they are mistaken for murderers by a group of preppy college students.Uproariously hilarious and clever, and endlessly watchable.
- DirectorSpike JonzeStarsNicolas CageMeryl StreepChris CooperA lovelorn screenwriter becomes desperate as he tries and fails to adapt 'The Orchid Thief' by Susan Orlean for the screen.Boy howdy, I love Charlie Kaufman.
- DirectorDrake DoremusStarsFelicity JonesAnton YelchinJennifer LawrenceA British college student falls for an American student, only to be separated from him when she's banned from the U.S. after overstaying her visa.No film I watched this year surprised me more than this did. The (500) Days of Summer of 2011.
- DirectorTerence YoungStarsAudrey HepburnAlan ArkinRichard CrennaA recently blinded woman is terrorized by a trio of thugs while they search for a heroin-stuffed doll they believe is in her apartment.I enjoyed this more than most Hitchcock films I've watched. Fantastic suspense film.
- DirectorMichel HazanaviciusStarsJean DujardinBérénice BejoJohn GoodmanWhen George, a silent movie superstar, meets Peppy Miller, a dancer, sparks fly between the two. However, after the introduction of talking pictures, their fortunes change, affecting their dynamic.More deserving of the Best Picture Oscar than The King's Speech and The Hurt Locker in my opinion. Lovely.
- DirectorFrank CapraStarsGary CooperJean ArthurGeorge BancroftA unassuming greeting card poet from a small town in Vermont heads to New York City upon inheriting a massive fortune and is immediately hounded by those who wish to take advantage of him.Anybody who doesn't like Frank Capra movies isn't a good person. Simple as that.
- DirectorMilos FormanStarsJack NicholsonLouise FletcherMichael BerrymanIn the Fall of 1963, a Korean War veteran and criminal pleads insanity and is admitted to a mental institution, where he rallies up the scared patients against the tyrannical nurse.I actually might enjoy the book more, but still super good. Performances are perfect.
- DirectorBoaz DavidsonStarsLawrence MonosonDiane FranklinSteve AntinPizza delivery boy Gary, loudmouth David and hunky Rick are three high school students out to lose their virginity any way they can. Gary falls for transfer student Karen, who gets involved with Rick.Transcends the '80s sex-comedy genre it's been lumped into. How this isn't considered a classic alongside John Hughes' best films is beyond me.
- DirectorDavid O. RussellStarsBradley CooperJennifer LawrenceRobert De NiroAfter a stint in a mental institution, former teacher Pat Solitano moves back in with his parents and tries to reconcile with his ex-wife. Things get more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany, a mysterious girl with problems of her own.Cooper and Lawrence, neither of which I was particularly fond of before this, are both pitch-perfect. Watch out for this during the Oscar season.
- DirectorCharles ChaplinStarsCharles ChaplinVirginia CherrillFlorence LeeWith the aid of a wealthy erratic tippler, a dewy-eyed tramp who has fallen in love with a sightless flower girl accumulates money to be able to help her medically.This is the best Chaplin film I've seen thus far, and it might never be topped. Warms your soul.
- DirectorJonathan LevineStarsJoseph Gordon-LevittSeth RogenAnna KendrickInspired by a true story, a comedy centered on a 27-year-old guy who learns of his cancer diagnosis and his subsequent struggle to beat the disease.Joseph Gordon-Levitt is one of the best actors performing today, and he carries this one. Funny, sad, and uplifting.
- DirectorConor McMahonStarsRoss NobleTommy KnightEoghan McQuinnA clown comes back from the dead to haunt those who took his life during a fatal party mishap.This needs to become a cult classic.
- DirectorSidney LumetStarsAl PacinoJohn CazalePenelope AllenThree amateur bank robbers plan to hold up a bank. A nice simple robbery: Walk in, take the money, and run. Unfortunately, the supposedly uncomplicated heist suddenly becomes a bizarre nightmare as everything that could go wrong does.Yeah, get it, Pacino. This is great, quintessential 70's filmmaking.
- DirectorSylvain ChometStarsJean-Claude DondaEilidh RankinDuncan MacNeilA French illusionist finds himself out of work and travels to Scotland, where he meets a young woman. Their ensuing adventure changes both their lives forever.D'awh. This is great. Just great. Beautiful animation as well.
- DirectorSpike JonzeStarsJohn CusackCameron DiazCatherine KeenerA puppeteer discovers a portal that leads literally into the head of movie star John Malkovich.Unlike anything you've ever seen.
- DirectorStanley KubrickStarsTom CruiseNicole KidmanTodd FieldA Manhattan doctor embarks on a bizarre, night-long odyssey after his wife's admission of unfulfilled longing.Even Kubrick's "worst" film is damn great. And I don't even like Cruise and Kidman.
- DirectorLarry CharlesStarsBill MaherTal BachmanJonathan BouldenBill Maher's take on the current state of world religion.Favorite documentary I've seen this year. Thought-provoking, though I'd think twice before I recommended it to someone.
- DirectorLynne RamsayStarsTilda SwintonJohn C. ReillyEzra MillerKevin's mother struggles to love her strange child despite the increasingly dangerous things he says and does as he grows up. But Kevin is just getting started, and his final act will be beyond anything anyone imagined.Swinton oozes perfection. And Ezra Miller is going to be a star. Not a fun watch, though.
- DirectorWim WendersStarsBruno GanzSolveig DommartinOtto SanderAn angel tires of his purely ethereal life of merely overseeing the human activity of Berlin's residents, and longs for the tangible joys of physical existence when he falls in love with a mortal.The ending's a cop-out, but beautifully filmed and very well-done.
- DirectorPhil LordChristopher MillerStarsJonah HillChanning TatumIce CubeA pair of underachieving cops are sent back to a local high school to blend in and bring down a synthetic drug ring.Hilarious. Way better than it should be.
- DirectorCharles ChaplinStarsCharles ChaplinPaulette GoddardJack OakieDictator Adenoid Hynkel tries to expand his empire while a poor Jewish barber tries to avoid persecution from Hynkel's regime.Chaplin spitting in the face of Hitler. Culturally important and just a great film.
- DirectorChristopher NolanStarsChristian BaleTom HardyAnne HathawayEight years after the Joker's reign of chaos, Batman is coerced out of exile with the assistance of the mysterious Selina Kyle in order to defend Gotham City from the vicious guerrilla terrorist Bane.Gets that apocalyptic feeling down perfectly.
- DirectorJoe CornishStarsJohn BoyegaJodie WhittakerAlex EsmailA teen gang in South London defend their block from an alien invasion.What fun I had watching this.
- DirectorBobcat GoldthwaitStarsJoel MurrayTara Lynne BarrMackenzie Brooke SmithOn a mission to rid society of its most repellent citizens, terminally ill Frank makes an unlikely accomplice in 16-year-old Roxy.Feels a little too preachy and too much like a stand-up comedy routine, but still overcomes its flaws and is a great watch.
- DirectorJames GunnStarsRainn WilsonElliot PageLiv TylerAfter his wife falls under the influence of a drug dealer, an everyday guy transforms himself into Crimson Bolt, a superhero with the best intentions, but lacking in heroic skills.Probably the most unhinged film I watched this year.
- DirectorGlenn FicarraJohn RequaStarsSteve CarellRyan GoslingJulianne MooreA middle-aged husband's life changes dramatically when his wife asks him for a divorce. He seeks to rediscover his manhood with the help of a newfound friend, Jacob, learning to pick up girls at bars.Much, much better than I expected it to be. Cast is great.
- DirectorKirby DickStarsKirby DickKimberly PeirceDarren AronofskyKirby Dick's exposé about the American movie ratings board.Made me dislike the MPAA more than I already did. Great whistle-blowing documentary.
- DirectorSimon CurtisStarsMichelle WilliamsEddie RedmayneKenneth BranaghColin Clark, an employee of Sir Laurence Olivier, documents the tense interactions between Olivier and Marilyn Monroe during the production of The Prince and the Showgirl (1957).Michelle Williams is delightfully charming and gives a fabulous performance. Enjoyed it way more than I thought I would.
- DirectorCharles Martin SmithStarsMarc PriceTony FieldsLisa OrgoliniA bullied teenage boy is devastated after the death of his heavy metal idol, Sammi Curr. But as Halloween night approaches, he discovers that he may be the only one who can stop Sammi from making a Satanic comeback from beyond the grave.So '80s. Should be a Halloween tradition to watch this one.
- DirectorMichael HerzLloyd KaufmanStarsGeorgia HarrellMichael SanvilleGoogy GressA group of teenage summer campers and one counselor share the stories of their first sexual experiences when an rock dlide traps them in a cave.I'm a big Troma fan, but I'd never checked out their early sex-comedies. Now I've seen most every one and this is their best. Perfectly clever and dumb simultaneously.
- DirectorMichael Paul GirardStarsSteven CookeLezlie Z. McCrawRick McDowellSchool nerd Bill just wants to save the world and to score a date with cheerleader babe Chrissie Schackler. Both become real possibilities when he finds an alcoholic Leprechaun in a beer bottle he was about to recycle. Wacky hijinks ensue as the leprechaun, Lepkey, messes up a few of the wishes. Can Bill fight off school jock Tony Chanuka and marry Chrissie so they can fulfill their dream of opening a clinic?One of the most out-there teen comedies ever made. Ridiculous, and awesome.
- DirectorRon MaxwellStarsTatum O'NealKristy McNicholArmand AssanteTwo fifteen year-old girls from different sides of the tracks compete to see who will be the first to lose their virginity while at a summer camp.Great character study on sex, with really good performances by up-and-comers.
- DirectorJames McTeigueStarsHugo WeavingNatalie PortmanRupert GravesIn a future British dystopian society, a shadowy freedom fighter, known only by the alias of "V", plots to overthrow the tyrannical government - with the help of a young woman.Makes you want to be all involved in government and stuff.
- DirectorBarbara PeetersJimmy T. MurakamiStarsDoug McClureAnn TurkelVic MorrowHumanoid sea creatures start killing a fishing town's residents, and raping their women. It's up to the townsfolk and a visiting biologist to fight back and fend them off.Easily the best Jaws rip-off ever made. And one of the most fun monster movies I've ever seen.
- DirectorAlfred HitchcockStarsJames StewartDoris DayBrenda de BanzieAn American doctor and his wife, a former singing star, witness a murder while vacationing in Morocco, and are drawn into a twisting plot of international intrigue when their young son is kidnapped.Perhaps not exemplary Hitchcock, but it's still a good suspense thriller and you can't say no to Jimmy Stewart.
- DirectorPaul Thomas AndersonStarsAdam SandlerEmily WatsonPhilip Seymour HoffmanSocially frustrated Barry Egan calls a phone-sex line to curb his loneliness. Little does he know it will land him in deep trouble and will jeopardize his burgeoning romance with the mysterious Lena.Wish Adam Sandler made more movies like this and less movies like everything else he's made.
- DirectorDavid WechterStarsMichael David WrightBruce GreenwoodAmanda Horan KennedyTwo brothers who have just graduated from college inherit a bikini store from their aunt.I'm a sucker for '80s sex-comedies, and this is one of the best of them. Deserves more of a cult following.
- DirectorConstance MarksPhilip ShaneStarsKevin ClashWhoopi GoldbergFrank OzThe Muppet Elmo is one of the most beloved characters among children across the globe. Meet the unlikely man behind the puppet - the heart and soul of Elmo - Kevin Clash.Such a heartwarming little movie. Might be a little less heartwarming after the whole Kevin Clash lawsuit thing, but whatevs.
- DirectorTaylor HackfordStarsKeanu ReevesAl PacinoCharlize TheronAn exceptionally-adept Florida lawyer is offered a job at a high-end New York City law firm with a high-end boss--the biggest opportunity of his career to date.A rare good performance by Keanu Reeves, and with an original plot. Rosemary's Baby-lite.
- DirectorRichard LesterStarsJohn LennonPaul McCartneyGeorge HarrisonSir Ringo Starr finds himself the human sacrifice target of a cult, and his fellow members of The Beatles must try to protect him from it.These Beatles movies were way better than they had to be. Silly fun.