Mike Smith

The Best Movies of 2012

This evening marks the 85th Academy Awards, honoring the best in 2012 film. Love or hate the Oscars or the films that end up awarded each year, I’m still grateful there’s a huge annual event honoring my favorite art form. This weekend, in the spirit of the Oscars, I’ve already posted my favorite supporting and lead performances of last year. Today, I share my list of 2012 films that deserve to be praised as the year’s best. In the strongest cinematic year since 2007, these are the 20-or-so that stand out. Needless to say, you should seek them out.

20. Chronicle, Josh Trank

By the end of this post, I’m sure I’ll have said this a few times: often what makes a movie great is that it first succeeds at fulfilling the basics of its genre, then elevates itself above it. Chronicle is a near-flawless teen superhero origin story that then morphs into something much more ambitious. Come for the fun action set pieces, stay for the incredible characters and their story of friendship and sacrifice.

19. Bernie, Richard Linklater

Thanks to Jack Black’s wonderfully quirky-but-human portrayal of real-life killer Bernie Tiede and Linklater’s wonderful sense of place and community, Bernie is a fun, but effective, exploration of how relationships and reputation influence the American justice system. It plays like a light comedy, but its poignancy can’t be dismissed.

18. Silver Linings Playbook, David O. Russell

The year’s best example of how complex characters and amazing performances can elevate a somewhat basic narrative. The movie’s climax hinges on a football bet and a dance competition, but Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, et al draw us in so deep, we’re totally invested in the outcome. 

17. Magic Mike, Steven Soderburgh

No, this isn’t just an excuse to get Channing Tatum naked. It’s actually an honest exploration of ambition and self-worth, and what happens when one is too strong and the other too weak. It’s a complicated, intimate character study dressed up (or down) as a stripper-comedy; I love to think the bait-and-switch opened up some viewers’ eyes to what good cinema actually looks like.

16. Argo, Ben Affleck

I wouldn’t have predicted it, but Ben Affleck is one of the most reliable filmmakers working today; I’m more excited to see his follow up to Argo than Steven Spielberg’s next. He tells a tight, economical story with enough drama, comedy and heart to please any taste. Say what you want about its historical accuracy, Argo’s final sequence is the most suspenseful of the year, and that takes impeccable craft.

15. Holy Motors, Leos Carax

It’s not a love letter to cinema, its a poem. Your brain may not be able to process everything Carax throws on screen, but a film lover’s heart will be nonetheless moved. It’s everything and nothing at once. It’s a bold statement that film doesn’t have to fit in any box, tell any particular story, or explore any specific themes; it just has to be honest and come from the soul. Plus, that accordion interlude is probably my favorite scene of the entire year.

14. The Amazing Spider-man, Marc Webb

In a huge year for superhero cinema, Webb’s Spider-man is the most emotionally resonant. The web-slinging and crime fighting are always secondary to Parker’s personal evolution; it’s a coming-of-age high school love story, dressed up in spandex. Which is exactly what I hoped it would be. Garfield is perfect and his chemistry with Stone feels effortless. Even if the plot mechanics are familiar, the atmosphere is completely fresh.

13. Killer Joe, William Friedkin

It’s a weird fucking movie. It’s violent and perverted, hilarious and disturbing. The morals are twisted and Friedkin somehow convinces us that we should be rooting for the most despicable character in a film packed exclusively with despicable characters. It probably helps that McConaughey gives the best performance of his career as said despicable human being. You’ll either love me or hate me for the recommendation, but hell, I had so much fun I don’t care.

12. Paranorman, Chris Butler and Sam Fell

Stop motion animation is special in that it brings a sense of weight and physicality to an otherwise intangible medium. So, when Paranorman avoids dumbing itself down or softening its edge, nothing feels out of place. That’s not to say it isn’t for kids; at its heart Paranorman is about not just accepting people in spite of their differences, but embracing and appreciating our differences as what makes society special.

11. The Cabin in the Woods, Drew Goddard

It’s not just a fun, wild skewering of horror tropes; The Cabin in the Woods is an effective entry into horror cannon whose inventive script offers some of the year’s most exciting twists and turns. It’s two or three movies rolled into one, and when all hell breaks loose in the third act, genre junkies will lose their collective minds.

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The 10 Best Lead Performances of 2012

Earlier this weekend, I highlighted my favorite supporting performances from last year. Now, I get to ramble a bit about the 10 lead performances (5 female, 5 male) which made the biggest impression on me in 2012 – interestingly, The Academy and I almost actually agreed in one of the categories, which never happens.

Best Performances by Female Actors in Lead Roles

5. Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Smashed

Films and performances which deal with addiction can go one of two ways: either too on-the-nose and preachy or, as is the case with Winstead’s turn as an alcoholic school teacher, understated and poignant. She gets a few showy moments when her drinking gets her into big trouble, but her best are the most intimate: her realizations in group counseling, breakdowns in front of friends and family, and – most of all – her struggle to reconcile the disconnect between her recovery and her enabling husband.

4. Emmanuelle Riva, Amour

It’s easy to see why Riva’s portrayal of a stroke victim is so highly praised; it requires her to not only convincingly project the emotional struggle of a woman coping with her own mortality, but she also transforms her entire physicality to match her character’s failing body. What really makes it work, though, is her ability to just as wonderfully display the character’s lively personality before her health declines. The two sides of her performance perfectly compliment each other.

3. Quvenzhane Wallis, Beasts of the Southern Wild

In an unusually strong year for amazing performances from child actors, Wallis stands out as the very best. Hushpuppy inhabits a world that may seem unreal to most viewers, yet Wallis brings so much raw emotion to the character, her humanity overshadows the often ethereal tone, grounding the entire film. She commands the screen in every scene, which is especially evident in those which require her to go head-to-head with the grown-ups.

2. Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty

There are big moments in Zero Dark Thirty which force audiences to take notice of Chastain’s enormous talent and raw magnetism; she fearlessly chastises her superiors and boldly pronounces that she is, indeed, “the motherfucker who found this place.” Those moments alone would make her worthy of all the praise she’s gotten this season (and I imagine one will be chosen for the highlight clip during the Oscars), but what makes Jessica Chastain so special are the subtleties in her performance. She says more with a shift in her facial expression or a well-timed tear than in any of her giant emotional explosions.

1. Jennifer Lawrence, Silver Linings Playbook

Jennifer Lawrence brings more life to Tiffany in Silver Linings Playbook than many actors bring to the collective performances of an entire career. She’s unstable, unpredictable, openly moody and impolite – yet all we see is a confident, charming, whip-smart dream girl. It’s not that Lawrence doesn’t put it all out there, it’s that she’s able to tap whatever piece of humanity allows us to see past a person’s flaws and connect with what makes her wonderful. Viewers are able to relate directly to Cooper’s character’s infatuation because we fall for her spell too; I’m not sure any other actor could pull off the same feat.

Best Performances by Male Actors in Lead Roles

5. Jack Black, Bernie

Bernie is a killer. Everyone knows it. Nobody seems to care; they love him anyway. He’s just so nice and polite and a damn joy to be around. Jack Black brings his signature silliness to the role, but this time, the performance is far less broad and is surprisingly nuanced. He’s hilarious, but human, and a real joy to watch.

4. Matthew McConaughey, Killer Joe

2012 was the year of Matthew McConaughey. He gave us two awesome supporting performances in Magic Mike and Bernie, but it’s his sole leading turn as a cop who moonlights as a hit man in Killer Joe that stands out. He brings his familiar casual charm to a character that also manages to be sinister and disturbing. He makes us cringe as his actions become sicker and scarier, yet it’s still a total blast.

3. Daniel Day Lewis, Lincoln

Nobody completely melts into a character like Daniel Day Lewis does. He doesn’t just act like our 16th President, he becomes him. More importantly though, he manages to portray Lincoln’s immense importance without deifying him. His Abe Lincoln is human and vulnerable, not an infallible myth. In the end, though, we still revere him, warts and all – which is the real accomplishment.

2. Denis Lavant, Holy Motors

He’s a family man, a martial artist, a romantic interest, an old beggar woman, an accordionist, a regretful man on his deathbed, and a goblin-like deviant. In a film which explores everything cinema can be and pushes it to its logical and artistic limits, Denis Lavant does the same for actors and acting. It doesn’t have to be tidy or make total sense; art is about emotion and Lavant plays with all of them.

1. Joaquin Phoenix, The Master

Freddy Quell is a damaged character. We don’t know why and we never really find out, but thanks to Phoenix’s insanely precise performance, we don’t have to. Everything he does – limping awkwardly despite no apparent injury, mumbling out the side of his mouth, never sitting completely still, erupting into random and violent mood swings – convinces us that whatever he’s been through, it’s been a rough ride. Phoenix communicates through action, showing us who Quell is and what he’s feeling even when his character is unable to tell us – though the verbal sparring between he and Hoffman’s character when he tries to is electrifying.

The 10 Best Supporting Performances of 2012

Over the weekend leading up to the 2013 Oscars, I’m going to post a few blogs highlighting my favorite films and performances of last year. First up are supporting turns, which are often the most fun, risky or unique and introduce us to fantastic new performers or new talents in familiar ones.

These are the 10 performances in supporting roles (five female, five male) that I loved most in 2012:

Best Performances by Female Actors in Supporting Roles

5. Anne Hathaway, Les Miserables

Sure, she’s only in the movie for like 20 minutes, but credit has to be given for completely stealing each second of those 20 minutes, especially since the whole rest of the movie fails to connect on almost any level. Hathaway somehow manages to penetrate Hooper’s schizophrenic over-direction, and deliver one of the most heartbreaking monologues of the year (that just so happens to be a super-famous song).

4. Rebel Wilson, Pitch Perfect

Don’t dismiss Wilson’s work here as slight; she’s a fantastic personification of one of the film’s most important themes: finding happiness not only in what you do, but in who you are, without compromise. Fat Amy is wickedly funny, but also the movie’s heart. The best part of the year’s most pleasant surprise.

3. Amy Adams, The Master

Adams has a far less showy role than her two male co-stars, but that doesn’t make her work in PTA’s latest any less impressive. She’s warm and motherly on the outside, but dig a little and you’ll find the film’s most intimidating and sinister character. Depending on your reading, she may even be the film’s namesake.

2. Ann Dowd, Compliance

Dowd’s fast food manager, Sandra, is probably the most frustrating character in the year’s most frustrating film. And that’s a good thing. Compliance’s success hinges on the viewer’s complete disbelief in Sandra’s actions. They’re so outrageous, they can’t be real. Yet somehow, Dowd brings so much humanity to her character, we can’t totally dismiss Sandra, either. It’s a near-impossible balance, and she pulls it off spectacularly.

1. Brit Marling, Sound of My Voice

Marling’s turn as mysterious, magnetic cult leader Maggie is probably my favorite overall performance of 2012 (though I still struggle with whether or not it’s truly a supporting role – I’m going with the Spirit Awards on this). Sound of My Voice doesn’t work unless we believe that Maggie is so charming and enigmatic, the other characters can’t help but fall for her spell. Luckily, Marling’s onscreen presence is wholly consuming, forcing even viewers to question traditional logic and wonder if she might be for real after all.

Best Performances by Male Actors in Supporting Roles

5. Pierce Gagnon, Looper

Someone, please explain to me how a seven-year-old boy manages the most truly terrifying performance of the year? Or how that scary-as-hell turn is also one of the most emotionally well-rounded? Actually, I don’t need an explanation, I’m just grateful director Rian Johnson found the kid; his killer sci-fi flick is so much better for it.

4. Christoph Waltz, Django Unchained

Another one that might actually be a co-lead (but I’ll defer to The Academy). Django’s first 20 minutes or so are Waltz’s show, and damn is it wonderful. Waltz is undeniably charismatic in any role, but nobody knows how to utilize him better than Tarantino. Dr. King Schultz is a morally and ethically muddled character, but with Waltz as his onscreen surrogate, we never care. Every second spent with him is a total blast.

3. Philip Seymour Hoffman, The Master

Another charismatic cult leader of sorts, Lancaster Dodd is a richly layered character and Hoffman brings each facet of his complicated personality to life with equal success. No one characteristic overshadows any other, leaving it up to viewers to figure out his true motives themselves – a challenging task.

2. Jason Clarke, Zero Dark Thirty

When a supporting actor is able to command every scene he’s in – despite sharing said scenes with powerhouse Jessica Chastain – the dude deserves some freaking credit. The juxtaposition of his two personalities – the ruthless interrogator in the film’s infamous torture scenes and the buttoned-up intelligence expert in DC – perfectly personify the dueling interests which consume Zero Dark Thirty’s meaty procedural.

1. Ezra Miller, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

On the surface, Miller’s character Patrick – a gay teen, ostracized by his peers and forced to keep his relationship with a straight classmate secret – seems like a familiar, sad cliché. Yet, through his profoundly nuanced and emotional performance, Miller makes Patrick one of the most triumphant, inspiring characters in all of teen-oriented cinema. We feel each heartbreak and every victory as though he’s one of our close friends, not just a character from a movie.

No, ‘The Critics’ Don’t Hate All Your Favorite Movies: On Aggregation and Artificial Consensus

Late last week, Matt Singer at Indiewire posted a piece on his Criticwire blog discussing Rotten Tomatoes users’ reactions to negative reviews of A Good Day to Die Hard. As of this writing, the movie holds a 16% “rotten” score from professional critics on the popular aggregator. When scored by general audience members, however, the latest John McClane actioner earns approval from 82% of the site’s users. This vast discrepancy – surely magnified by the film’s weekend-best $28.6 million box office take – prompted commenters to question the relevancy of critics in today’s cinematic ecosystem. Singer’s piece provides specific examples and is definitely worth a read, but the basic gist of these comments is as follows: critics are too cynical and cannot appreciate “fun” genre movies (some even accuse us of only writing negative reviews because it’s what is expected of us, not because we genuinely dislike the movies); because audiences often disagree with or disregard reviews, critics don’t have a real purpose and should quit altogether.

As a critic, I obviously come into this with inherent bias. I reject the notion that we’re too picky or grumpy or whatever. I finally saw A Good Day to Die Hard today and while I didn’t find it especially engaging, there are other action movies I do enjoy (Skyfall is great!). I could list a bunch of genre movies with high Tomatometer scores or rattle off a few of my favorites to prove these commenters wrong, but that’s really beside the point. The issue is not with specific critics or their opinion of this (or any other) specific film. What I think frustrates these commenters most has very little to do with critics at all, but rather with a fundamental misunderstanding of who critics are and what our work actually means.

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