My Top 5 Favorite Movies of 2012
Well, another year has come and
gone: 2012. And man, what a year it was! The world may not have ended (take
that Mayans!), but it was still a year we will never forget! It was the year
when Gamgam Style was born, when Katie Holmes divorced Tom Cruise, when 007
turned 50, when Clint Eastwood talked to a chair to prove a political point, when
Obama became president for four more years, and when Princess Leia became a
Disney® Princess. However, the thing that really made this year memorable was
the movies! 2012 was probably the greatest year for movies in a long time!
Almost every month in 2012 had at least one movie that was mind blowing, entertaining,
and unforgettable! This year was definitely a HUGE improvement from last year
(2011), where it seemed to be dud after dud after dud. Okay, so not EVERY movie
in 2012 was great. There were still some big stinkers (Looking at you Battleship!). But overall, it was a
great year for Hollywood, and it gave us hope that Hollywood can still make ‘em
like they used to! Now before I give you my list. I want to let you all know
that this is just my opinion. Film is art, and art is subjective. If you
disagree with me, that’s why God created comments. Now let’s not waste any
time, and count down… My Top 5 Favorite Movies of 2012! (There be spoilers ahead! Ye have been warned!):
5. Les Miserables
Based on the musical bu Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel, and Schönberg, Les Miserables tells the story of the French Revolution; and Ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, who is hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine's young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever. Before I talk about this movie, I have confession to make. I never read the book , nor saw the musical. Thank goodness I saw it with a friend who did see the musical. So if you have never read the book, or saw the musical, I suggest taking any of your friends who have, so they can fill you in on the stuff you don't understand. As for me, I thought the movie is just beautiful. It tells a great story of redemption, love, loss, tragedy, and joy. The performances are brilliant! Hugh Jackman uses his singing talents to great use for his role as Jean Valjean. THrought the course of the film, Jean Valjean goes from being a theif to a saint. This is not an easy role to play, and Hugh Jackman does it perfectly. The entire cast is great: Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter, Amanda Seyfried, etc. But the standout for me is definetely Anne Hathaway! She is in the film for only 20 minutes, but she really steals the show for me. Her character, Fantine, is very tragic and heart breaking, and you really feel sad for her in the film. Her story would make even the toughest man shed a tear. The scene where she sings "I dreamed a dream"is so beautiful and so emotional, she deserves to win an Oscar for that scene alone! Of course, all the songs in this movie are beautiful. They range from heart breaking (I Dreamed A Dream), funny (Master Of The House), touching (Suddenly), to triumphant (Do You Hear The People Sing). Almost every line of dialogue is sung instead of spoken. And I mean it... EVERY SINGLE WORD THEY SAY IS SAID BY SINGING! So if you hate singing in movies, you might want to sit this one out. As for me, and everyone else, Les Miserables is an experience that's anything but miserable!
4.) Lincoln
3.) The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Just to let you know, I LOVE J.R.R. Tolkien! The Lord of the Rings trilogy is one of my favorite movies of all time! The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is my favorite book of all time! I have been anticipating this movie for a long time now. And I must say, it was worth the wait! The story from the book is well translated on the screen. The characters are lovable and unforgettable. The acting is top notch. And the visuals are amazing! The score by Howard Shore still sends chills at the back of my neck! My favorite scene in the movie, which is also my favorite chapter in the book, is Riddles In The Dark. Andy Serkis is still amazing as the treacherous and deceitful Gollum/Smeagol. The movie is roughly two and a half hours. But it feels like one hour and a half! So, at least in my opinion, it's better paced than the LOTR trilogy. If there are any problems with the film, though. It's that some scenes feel a little unnecessary. And there is a character, Radagast the Brown, who might bring back painful memories of Jar Jar Binks for some people. As for the 48 frames rate, it felt a little weird at first. But as the film went on, I got used to it. A lot of people hate the technology. However, I feel it has potential. I applaud Peter Jackson for thinking outside the box and breaking new ground for technology. I look forward to seeing this new technology improve in the future. In short, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is an amazing experience I will never forget! And I eagerly look forward to the next two installments (Desolation of Smaug in 2013 & There and Back Again in 2014)! Well done Peter Jackson!
2.) Marvel's The Avengers
This movie had a near-impossible goal to accomplish. How do you include 4 of the most iconic, most popular superheroes of all time in one movie, and make it not feel like 4 movies mixed in one? If given into the wrong hands, this movie could have been a soul crushing disappointment. But director Joss Whedon managed to give it the perfect balance of comedy, action, drama, and heart, and crafted what is arguably the best, most entertaining comic book film since The Dark Knight! The story itself is nothing really special when you think about it. It's just a basic "Bad guy tries to take over the world, so we have to team up to stop him" tale that's been told in countless cartoons, movies, etc. But it's the clever dialogue and the genuine chemistry between the main characters that makes it stand out from most comic book movies. And they are great characters. Robert Downy Jr. totally steals every scene he's in as Iron Man/Tony Stark, Chris Hemsworth kicks butt as Thor, Chris Evans is great as Captain America, Mark Ruffalo owns it as the Hulk (Eric Banna and Edward Norton who?), Scarlett Johansson (please marry me!) is very sexy and strong as Black Widow, etc. The way these character interact with each other is just hilarious! And there are plenty of quiet scenes with the characters that gives them depth. It gives the movie a more human side. Unless you are a hard core Christopher Nolan/Batman loyalist, there is something in this film for everyone to appreciate. Even if you don't know the difference between Pepper Potts and Mary Jane. Marvel's The Avenegrs is MARVEL-ous fun for all ages!
Before I tell you my favorite movie of 2012, I would like to write down some honorable mentions. Movies that I really loved, but just couldn't find any room on this list for. Here we go (no particular order):
Argo - The greatest movie never made
Skyfall - 007's most entertaining mission yet!
Wreck-It-Ralph - Disney Animation continues to step up its game!
Moonrise Kingdom - Another Wes Anderson gem!
And my number one favorite movie of 2012 is...
1.) The Dark Knight Rises
Holy fan boy Batman!I have always been a huge Batman fan for as long as I can remember! I remember dressing up as Batman for Halloween when I was a little boy. I remember watching the Adam West show and The Animated Series form the 90s. I'll say it, Batman is my favorite superhero of all time! And I love the Batman movie franchise! I loved Tim Burton's Batman and Batman Returns! And I liked Batman Forever. The less said about Batman and Robin, the better.
But out of all the Batman movies, Christopher Nolan's Batman movies have stuck out with me the most. I loved Batman Begins! It was a dark, gritty, edgy reboot that redefined that Batman character for a new generation. And it was great mouth wash from Joel Shumacher's Batman and Robin (shivers). And The Dark Knight is not only my favorite Batman movie, but one of my favorite movies of all time! I love almost everything about that movie: the story, the music, the acting, etc. But most of all, Heath Ledger's Joker! Heath Ledger took an iconic character and made him his own. He gave, what I feel, was the single greatest performance of the decade! May he Rest In Peace. And now comes the third chapter, The Dark Knight Rises.
And as we all know, most of the time in trilogies, third time is no the charm. Especially with superheroes. Remember Spider-Man? A trilogy that started off good (Spider-Man), continued great (Spider-Man 2) but ended with a huge, convuluted mess (Spider-man 3)! Not even Superman, with all his powers, could make a satisfying third film in his trilogy. Let's hope and pray that Iron Man doesn't suffer the same fate this summer with Iron Man 3. Well thank goodness for Christopher Nolan! He ended the trilogy not with a whimper, but with a bang!
The story is action-packed, epic, intense, tragic, heart warming, and emotionally powerful! The performances are stellar! Christian Bale is perfect as Bruce Wayne/Batman! He makes the character very sympathetic, and you really root for him in the story. In my opinion, the best Batman in the whole franchise is a tie between Michael Keaton and Christian Bale. Michael Caine is brilliant as Buttler Alfred. He gives the movie its heart. Gary Oldman is awesome as Commissionor Gordon. He keeps the movie grounded. Morgan Freeman is great as always as Lucius Fox. He gives the film its class. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is very likable as John Blake. Tom Hardy is very menacing and threatening as Bane. But the standout performance for me was Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle/Catwoman. She is purrfect as Catwoman. She's tough, sexy, spunky, and sneaky as Catwoman. She is the best Catwoman since Michelle Pfeiffer in Batman Returns. (Halle Berry who?)
The music by Hans Zimmer is amazing! It really sets the tone and feel of the movie. The cinematography is stunning! The scenes with Gotham City are just jaw dropping to look at!
If there are some flaws though, it's that the film can be pretty slow at times. And there are a few plot holes that might bother people, like how does Bruce Wayne escape the island without a helicopter, etc. But that's just nit picking. This is a very well made film, flaws and all.
The movie's real strong point, though, is the emotional story arc of the main character. There isn't really as much Batman in this movie as you think there would be. That's because it's not really about Batman, but really about Bruce Wayne. It's the story of how he wishes he had the power to save everyone, how he regrets a mistake he made in his past, how he is challenged mentally, morally, and physically, and how he learns to rise above his problems on his own. "Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up!"
In conclusion, The Dark Knight Rises is an amazing experience! It tells a great story, has amazing acting, a great musical score, unforgettable characters, and provides a satisfying conclusion to a great trilogy! It may have some flaws, but when it's good, it is phenomenal! Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight trilogy is not only the greatest superhero trilogy ever made, but it will now take its place in history among the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Toy Story trilogy, and the Original Star Wars trilogy, as one of the greatest trilogies of all time!
The Dark Knight Rises. My favorite movie of 2012!
And those are my favorite movies of 2012! Like I said before, 2012 was a great year! Not just for movies. But just a great year in general! I look forward to what surprises God has in store for me in 2013!
