Film Rewind of 2012

Ohai there!

Happy New Year one and all! Is that still socially acceptable to say to people on the 15th of January? Who cares?! #joelo

I honestly believe that 2012 was an exceptional year for film. With the opening of Mareel, Shetland's new cinema and music venue, and hearty abuse of my loyalty card, I actually got to see all those exceptional films for once as well! As opposed to other years, where I could only follow the cinematic climate in the vein of that lad who actually doesn't care about football looks up the scores with fervour just in case any unexpected banter arises. You may wonder why a 'review of the year' post is appearing so late into 2013. Laziness? NO! How very dare you suggest such a thing? It was actually for research purposes. I wanted to see 'Life of Pi', technically a 2012 release, before compiling a list of my top 5 films of the year. I did it for you!

Richard Parker, despite his incredible CGI-ness, did not make the cut.

So what did? In no particular order, here's my crème de la crème...

1. 'The Perks of Being a Wallflower'

For extended gushing on what might secretly be my favourite film, see here.

2. 'The Dark Knight Rises'

With Christopher Nolan at the helm, and featuring performances by Marion Cotillard, Marion Cotillard,  and Marion Cotillard, it was always going to be good. But boy-oh was this blockbuster at its very best. As with 'Inception', Nolan masterfully weaves emotion and intellect - in this case, a weirdly right-wing political slant on the occupy movement - into the edge-of-your-seat action set pieces we've come to expect (I'm looking at you obliterated pitch). Tom Hardy's Bane is a worthy foe for the final installment and is finely supported by a pulsating score from the always reliable Hans Zimmer. Anne Hathaway, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Michael Caine all give excellent turns, with Hathaway's Selina Kyle a particular stand-out. Seeing it in IMAX (the real future) nearly blew my face off. Take note folks - this is how you make epics.

3. 'The Imposter'

Sometimes real life is all you need to make a good film. This mind-bending, little-seen film tells the true story of a French con-man who impersonated a missing young boy who disappeared years before. What is wonderful about the film is how it splices in talking heads with the actual people involved with ultra-stylish dramatic recreations of events as they happened. For most of the time we follow the narrative of the con-man involved, but when we shift perspective to the other people involved, thrilling twists appear in abundance. It's saying something of the film's calibre that leaving the movie you still have absolutely no idea who to trust - it has offered you the clues, you make up your own mind.

4. 'Moonrise Kingdom'

'Moonrise Kingdom' just reminds me why I love cinema. It boasts an originality like which I've seen little else. The tone manages to be cute without seeming cute, and this is credited to the film's surreal dialogue, excellent performances and immaculate attention to artistic detail - the setting, costume, props, and stylistic quirks all mesh together like a well-oiled machine, resulting in an atmosphere of complete joy. When Tilda Swinton appears playing the character 'Social Work', you don't roll your eyes, you admire her cute blue bonnet and snarky one-liners. Add in a compelling coming-of-age story and it ticks all my boxes. Moonrise Kingdom really is a world of its own, and one you won't want to leave. And when the ushers eventually drag you from the cinema, it'll be with an enormous grin on your face.

5. 'The Cabin in the Woods'

There's not a lot that would make me go and see a horror film. Joss Whedon's name attached will do the trick, however. Witty, dark, and inventive, 'Cabin in the Woods' is a breath of fresh air to the genre. It manages to have its cake and eat it too, acting as a satire of all things slasher while working it in to its satisfyingly twisty plot. Mainly though, it's just really good fun - particularly Fran Kranz's performance as a paranoid stoner - and constantly messes with your expectations. I reckon it'll be a staple party film for years to come! Plus there's a Sigourney Weaver cameo, so that's a mark of quality right there.

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Honorable Mentions
'Shame', 'Untouchable', 'The Master', 'Sightseers', 'Rust and Bone', 'Beasts of the Southern Wild', 'Silver Linings Playbook', 'Skyfall' and 'Nostalgia for the Light'.

Biggest Disappointment - 'Brave'
Pixar get your act together.

Most Overrated - 'Looper'
See here.

Best Scenes - "The First Processing" in 'The Master'/"Writing Ruby as She Watches" in 'Ruby Sparks'
Joaquin Phoenix and PSH deserve their Oscars for that scene alone./The thematic premise of the film laid out in an exceptionally powerful way (I recommend checking out this underrated film!).

Film I Least Enjoyed - 'Great Expectations'
Ralph Fiennes plays the Hitcher from 'Mighty Boosh' (thanks Lisa!), and Jeremy Irvine's hair is the most compelling character. Slow... slow... slow... RUSHED EXPOSITION! slow... slow... Helena goes on fire! slow... slow... did the Hitcher just die? "I wanna go back to dat farm!" credits...

Best Openings - 'Untouchable'/'The Dark Knight Rises'
Perfectly sets the tone for the film in a way that draws you in immediately/That opening plane sequence HOLY GOD!

And of course, the most important question...

Did 'Prometheus' work? - Yes
Two words - alien cesarean.

Tara x