Our review total at What’s Up Movement was down from the century mark of 2011, but the new arrow grading system has allowed us to get a more accurate read of how the films compare to each other. Out of five possible arrows, four films earned 5, 12 fell just short at 4.5 and 15 films earned the strong rating of 4 arrows. A very solid last quarter of the year skewed the results toward the high scores, but we have no quota. If the movie meets the standards, it gets a high grade. So to begin Oscar week, here are the top 10 films of 2012.
(Click titles to read full reviews)
10. Lincoln
The supporting cast does very well. But the difference is they give good performances, the actor with his name above the title, Daniel Day Lewis, gives one of the best performances ever.
9. Les Misérables
The film is an accessible version of the dense book for audiences who never brought themselves to read or view a play whose title translates to “The Miserable Ones.” That doesn’t really sound like much fun.
8. Django Unchained
The aesthetically impressive scenes that separate the action and gore from dialogue and story development are worth the audience’s attention from shot to shot. There’s no doubt Quentin Tarantino is crazy, crazy like a fox. This is his crazy western.
7. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
It’s masterly crafted with precision dialogue and unmatched pacing. Director Stephen Chbosky, who wrote the screenplay and the original novel, has made a movie that deserves to go down as one of the great coming of age films of the decade.
6. 21 Jump Street
The fact that they rarely go more than a minute without a successful joke or funny moment means that 21 Jump Street is one of the best comedies in recent memory. The film is a perfect example of how to redefine a franchise. Just make the movie really good.
5. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Director Peter Jackson definitely knows what the fans want, complexity and continuity. The film is long and requires a level of commitment to enjoy, but we know from experience Jackson likes to make the audience earn the rewards that come at the end of an epic story like this.
4. Looper
Looper is a new idea. The film has been highly praised for its innovative approach to a sci-fi genre which borrows heavily from itself. It’s a slow burn of a film that can keep interest through the relaxed parts and have you on the edge of your seat without even knowing it.
3. The Dark Knight Rises
Almost any other movie would collapse under this mountain of characters and established actors fighting for their minutes of screen time. But instead the film proves to be large enough for such a task. The Dark Knight Rises puts an end to one of the best trilogies ever made and is a defining work of both comic book and action film culture.
2. Argo
I can’t recall another film that is able to cut between such intense drama and witty comedy like Argo does. There is always that moment in espionage thrillers that presents the common citizen as gullible for believing the untrue reports, but now we’re in on the secret.
1.Zero Dark Thirty
Even if only half of the events on screen are true, millions of people were invested in the hunt for Bin Laden and the film is a chance to gain some closure. Culturally, it’s a very important film and will stay with you days after viewing. Jessica Chastain is near flawless in her lead performance. Combining confidence, vulnerability and a social awkwardness that fits so perfectly with a character in her position,
Honorable Mention: The remaining films that scored a 4.5
11. Life of Pi
12. The Amazing Spider-Man
13. The Woman in Black
14. Lawless
15. Chronicle
16. Cloud Atlas
Please leave your top ten list in the comments and let us know why you liked what you did.
No comments:
Post a Comment