Big Mike’s 2 Cents: Best Films of 2012
I didn’t see every film that came out last year, but I saw quite a lot of them. There was much fun to be had in theaters in 2012. Reviews and synopses for all of these films are readily available online; I’m just offering my recommendations. The films I most enjoyed last year:
6. [amazon_link id=”B005LAIGPU” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Chronicle[/amazon_link] “I’m an apex predator!”
5. [amazon_link id=”B008OHV5R8″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Safety Not Guaranteed[/amazon_link] “I don’t know, I’m not a freakin’ stormtrooper.” (Now available via Netflix Streaming.)
4. [amazon_link id=”B007L6VR6M” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Moonrise Kingdom[/amazon_link] “I love you, but you don’t know what you’re talking about.”
3. [amazon_link id=”B0083SBJXS” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Disney’s Marvel’s The Avengers[/amazon_link] “That’s my secret, Cap: I’m always angry.”
2. [amazon_link id=”B005LAIIKI” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Django Unchained[/amazon_link] “His approval would be a dubious proposition at best.”
1. [amazon_link id=”B008G33O0G” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Cabin In The Woods[/amazon_link] “It was the pioneer days; people had to make their own interrogation rooms.”
Runners Up:
[amazon_link id=”B00993FEUK” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]ParaNorman[/amazon_link]
[amazon_link id=”B007VH6HN4″ target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Klown[/amazon_link] (Now available via Netflix Streaming.)
[amazon_link id=”B009OCR1OI” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Compliance[/amazon_link] (Now available via Netflix Streaming.)
[amazon_link id=”B00B19HFMK” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The House I Live In[/amazon_link]
Better than Anticipated:
[amazon_link id=”B008KOQJOO” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Detention[/amazon_link]
[amazon_link id=”B008M4HANQ” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Snow White and the Huntsman[/amazon_link]
Testing the Thin Line Between Love & Hate:
[amazon_link id=”B0085Z8F4A” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Prometheus[/amazon_link]: Could there be anything better than the creator of Alien returning to the franchise? Could there be anything worse than future scientists with a remedial 2nd grade education?
[amazon_link id=”B00A9X9TIW” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]Looper[/amazon_link]: I was really enjoying the ride, until it arrived at its destination.
Most Disappointing:
I was really looking forward to these and it turned out, I didn’t like them.
[amazon_link id=”B008G33O0G” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Master[/amazon_link]: Huge fan of Paul Thomas Anderson’s work. I got it– I just didn’t enjoy sitting through it.
[amazon_link id=”B008G33O0G” target=”_blank” container=”” container_class=”” ]The Dark Knight Rises[/amazon_link]: A Batman movie without The Bat-Man.
Am I off my nut?
Did I miss any?
How does my list compare to yours?
Cabin In the Woods FTW!
What about the Hobbit?
I’m with you 100% on Prometheus. The “Scooby and Shaggy” bio/geo team irked me to no end. “Oh look it’s an alien life form that we know nothing about. Lets pet it!”
Also, enjoyed Chronicle berry much.
Have you seen V/H/S ? Kind of loopy plotting + that found footage thing (again!?) but the ultra squishy horror of the first segment redeemed it for me.
I really enjoyed some of V/H/S …
just not enough of it. Still, I’d recommend any horror fan to check it out.
You “missed” the 2nd Silent Hill movie which was simply awful as hell. A total fail if there ever was one.
I skipped that one. Glad to hear I made the right call.
I like your list.
Here are some more good ones,
Red Lights
Killer Joe
Beasts of the Southern Wild
We need to Talk About Kevin
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
End of Watch
Killing Them Softly
Holy Motors
Headhunters
Brave
Truthfully, I’ve only seen a little more than half the films you’ve noted.
I enjoyed those that I’ve seen. They’re just not my favorites.
We Need to Talk About Kevin might deserve to be a runner up on my list: A well crafted film that stuck with me a while.
I’ll have to track the other titles down.
This one is a bit of a 2011/12 case, but ‘Take Shelter’.
The mundane situation spiraling out of control, the creeping paranoia and my absurdly ambiguous feelings about the ending; I like that film a lot.
It’s currently on my DVR, but I haven’t watched it yet.
Swap the places of Chronicle and Avengers, and we’ll have a virtually perfect agreement.
Catch me on a different day, and the order might swap around, but the titles would remain the same.
I’m just really excited to see “Safety Not Guaranteed” on this list because it assures me that I’m not the only person to have seen it. I freaking loved that movie. Think I’ve been following your work since “Wayfarer” so I can definitely see how that movie appealed to you. 🙂
And I absolutely agree with your standing on “Snow White and the Huntsman”, and “Looper”.
My only recommendation would be “Robot & Frank” and emphasize some of Coulson Lives rec’s “We Need to Talk About Kevin,” and “Red Lights”.
I too loved Safety Not Guaranteed. It pulled off something incredibly quirky and off balance while remaining genuine and wholly satisfying.
I definitely recommend renting We Need to Talk About Kevin. There were a lot of things about Red Lights, but the pacing challenged my resolve.
You’re not the first to recommend Robot & Frank. It’s on my “to see” list.
Thanks for reading.
Cheers!