BEST in FILM of 2013

Good evening and salutations once again friends, loved ones and newbies.  Welcome to my favorite time of year.  Awards season and yours truly Top Ten films of the past 12 months.  Movies have always been an integral part of my life since I was a child.  They fascinate me; captivate my attention, more than just entertainment purposes or buying time.  Movies transport me to so many different worlds, escaping to many alternate realities that take my mind far away for couple hours.  Maybe three if my attention span carries long enough.   Critiquing and analyzing films came natural to me at a young age.  I always enjoyed having my emotions moved, heart pounded, stomach turning in laughter, or shocked and appalled by something I never saw coming.  Movies have always been something more than just crowd-pleasing moments to fleet time for me.  I naturally want to dissect their themes and messages and share them with my friends and the outside world (okay say it with me now….NERRRRRRRRD).  Exactly I know.  And that is why I will forever tell people I come in contact with; films will always be my number one nerd-quality I possess.  SO WHAT!!  To the rest of you fellow movie buffs like myself out there, ENJOY!  And as always, this is not the end all be all list of lists.  The greatest part of watching movies is we all share our own separate emotions and opinions that move each and every one of us differently.  These are the ones that best moved my own…

THE HONORABLE MENTIONS

(As always there are NO SPOILERS in these mini reviews)

ENDERS GAME

This was the last movie I watched before beginning final stages for this list and it far exceeded the expectations I had for one of the few books I can recall reading back in high school.  Although edited to extremes and cutting out massive details from the acclaimed novel it’s based upon, Enders Game the movie did a tremendous job bringing Orson Scott Card’s classic to the big screen.  The story revolves around Ender (played terrifically by Hugo’s Asa Butterfield) a child thrown into a future where kids are the only hope to prevent an inevitable attack by an alien race on earth.  Through rigorous training and mind games, his commander in task of these kids (played well by Harrison Ford) pushes Ender to become the leader the human race is dependant upon.  The film is a beauty to watch and a gem on visuals and effects.  The adapted story is well written for the screen and all the actors involved played their parts beyond expectations.  A film worthy of an audience. 

12 YEARS A SLAVE

I know I will probably get some flack for omitting director Steve McQueen’s amazing true tale of Solomon Northup’s incredible story from wealthy family man to 12 years of slavery for being black in the 1860s.  A tremendously difficult story to watch unfold but carefully handled by McQueen and casted to near perfection with powerful performances by all involved.  A movie ill admit I can’t see myself watching again, nevertheless a movie worth watching by all film buffs alike.  Just to simply understand and believe something this heinous actually happened.  And to know just how far we’ve come as a species on this earth. 

ONLY GOD FORGIVES

There was no way I wasn’t putting this movie in my honorable mentions.  The movie nobody heard of if you didn’t know me or weren’t a fan of Nicolas Refn’s work.  The guy behind Pusher III, Valhalla and of course the epic Drive.  Refn’s follow up with his Drive star Ryan Gosling had me beyond excited; by far this was the most anticipated movie I was looking forward to all 2013.  Admittedly strange, weird and awkward at moments.  It’s a rare film that truly is better understood with multiple watches and a vast open mind.  Its dark, more complex than it leads on to be, disturbingly graphic and beautifully shot at the same time.  It’s like watching a car accident right before your eyes and marveling at its sinister beauty simultaneously.  One of my favorite soundtracks I enjoyed all year, Cliff Martinez’s score (who did Drive’s score as well) literally makes you feel like you’re being dragged through hell with these demonic characters.  There is no decent way to explain its story other than to say you’ll either love it or completely find it trash.  As they say though, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.  Wanna fight?

THIS IS THE END

Hands down the funniest comedy since Anchorman!  HANDS DOWN!!!!! I don’t care who you are or what you find funny.  If This is the End wasn’t your cup of tea than we simply can’t be friends.  I’m taking back for a minor moment the part that I say we all have our own opinions blah blah blah. NO.  This is damn funny stuff right here.  And if you don’t find this movie hilarious to the point you weren’t cheeks-red with tears running down your face than I just can’t know you or have you in my life.  That’s all I have to say.

CATCHING FIRE

The sequel to the money-making-machine that is the Hunger Games, Catching Fire was one of the biggest surprises I experienced at the movies.  Not many blockbuster sequels actually improved upon the original, even though it is based upon a trilogy novel.  They usually go the transformers route; bigger, louder and more special effects.  Catching Fire had terrific casting, including adding the always sensational Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Jeffrey Wright.  The story was large-scale and very riveting to watch unfold.  And that twist of an ending (to us non book readers) to lead into the next installment was just flawless work of art.  I for one am totally all-in now on this trilogy.

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

Director Paul Greengrass’s tour-de-force thriller based on the Somalian pirates hijacking an American vessel in 2008 was as breathtaking to watch as any film of 2013.  Greengrass brings his trademark fast, handheld-style directing that has made some of his greatest action sequences absolutely thrilling (United 93, and the last two Bourne films of the Matt Damon trilogy).  Captain Phillips is no different, the moment Tom Hanks (who plays Phillips with great tenacity) and the crew see the pirates approaching the ship you can literally feel the dreadful anxiety of what’s happening. What I enjoyed the most about Captain Phillips was where unlike most terrorizing true story films, Greengrass really pulls back the curtain on why these Somalians have to go through such drastic measures to survive and flourish in their country.  It’s a cry for help that Greengrass truly hits home as much as the heroic tale of Phillips himself.  And those last 20 minutes of the movie most people talk about, quite possibly as good an acting job as Tom Hanks career has shown. 

FROZEN

This was so hard NOT TO PUT IN MY TOP TEN! I absolutely have not loved a Disney animated flick this much in a long time.  This list was as difficult to make as any I have ever constructed.  Great year for films and Frozen on any other year would be in my top 10.  It’s that damn good. And if your one of those hard headed too-cool-for-Disney type dudes then put that front down for a sec and let the kid inside you scream a little.  Frozen was everything a Disney classic is supposed to have.  Great music, laughter, fun, sadness, cries and cheerful.  The things we forget as adults that made us who we are as kids.  Frozen took me back, and the epic soundtrack was as good since the glory music days of Disney animated classics (Aladdin, Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, etc). 

THE TOP 10

#10 PRISONERS

We open up the top ten with one of the more emotionally driven films of 2013.  Prisoners tells the story of two fathers (Hugh Jackson in top-notch form and Terrance Howard) whose kids go missing and the tumultuous gut-wrenching heartache that ensues afterward.   In charge of finding the lost kids is local Detective Loki (played to absolute perfection by Jake Gyllenhall), who’s haunted by his own demons and past.  Gylllenhall is in rare form as he single handedly stole the movie for me.  He really conveys the far depths of hell one has to reach when dealing with the disturbing role of finding two kids who very well may be dead by a monster.  And Hugh Jackman, who hasn’t shown this much range emotionally in a long time, truly echoes Jake’s performance as the father who will go to no length in finding the truth.  To what end would you go and bend one's morality and ethics to find the person who took away your family?  Prisoners is a great tale in finding out just how far one father will go and another won’t. 

#9 THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES

Ryan Gosling just can’t do any wrong right now.  Every female wants him and every man wants to be him.  Dude is as close to a modern-day James Dean as Hollywood as ever come close to having.  And true to that comparison, much of his character Luke Glanton is personified a la’ James Dean Rebel without a Cause.  A motorcycle daredevil stuntman, with an “extraordinary unique skill set” as one character calls him in the film.  Pines finds Gosling and director Derek Cianfrance reunited after their first film together Blue Valentine.  Like Valentine, Cianfrance enjoys fiddling with the human heart and its natural tendency to inflict pain onto those it loves.  Where their first film dealt with husband and wife tribulations, Pines carries the bulk of its message on fathers and sons and how their sins follow them through future generations.  It’s a powerful message hit home by the three acts that separate Pines into basically three mini-movies.  Gosling’s dynamic first act performance as daredevil badass who wants to be a good father to his one night stand lady played wonderfully by Eva Mendez.  Bradley Cooper plays the hero-cop in the 2^nd act, whose morals and good-code ethics are challenged by his higher ups led mostly by the always-vicious Ray Liotta (who is stellar in his supporting role).  Followed by the film’s final half hour, which shows both Cooper and Gosling’s sons in high school and how by chance their paths cross each other.  The film has a different approach than most commonly told stories, but the message is crystal clear and a marvel to watch unfold.  The movie is also one of the more beautifully shot films of the year with a great score to go along with it.  Gosling continues his tare on Hollywood for another year. 

#8 STAR TREK: INTO THE DARKNESS

Without a doubt, the oddball flick out the bunch would be the JJ Abram epic sequel Into the Darkness.  However do not be fooled, this is not our parents Trekkie films no longer.  Abrams has done something phenomenal with this reboot; he made fans out of people like me who never once cared for Star Trek or Star Wars.  And to not only that, breach my top 10 list.  Into the Darkness was by far the best movie of the summer.  It had everything one wants in a summer blockbuster; epic action sequences, visually stunning effects that leave you wowed, etc etc.  What transcends Star Trek so much more than your typical summer blockbuster (lets say the more popular Man of Steel) is by its cast and story. Everyone is casted to near perfection in their respective roles, led none other by an exceptionally played villain Benedict Cumberbatch.  A newcomer who is sure to skyrocket to Hollywood stardom after his tenacious role as the evil Kahn.  Not many of these types of films cross my list these latter years, but Abrams really has taken his name and put it on a pedestal for what a true epic blockbuster is supposed to look like.  And if he does to Star Wars what he has done here, the future is bright. 

#7 GRAVITY

WOW.  That is the only word that can sum up the viewing experience of watching Gravity.  Truly WOW material stuff right here.  What James Cameron’s Avatar started to Ang Lee's Life of Pi built on last year; now Alfonso Cuaron just leapt forward into the future of technical visual filmmaking.  Clearly the "experience" of Gravity is his prime objective.  The story may be basic and simple about two astronauts (George Clooney and the never better Sandra Bullock) who get stuck in space after a debris field wrecks their space shuttle, leaving them forced to fight for their lives in a place that carries no sound, no air pressure and of course….no gravity.  Watching some of the action set pieces unfold with zero sound when rock and machine collide is simply astonishing.  Cuaron does an impeccable job of putting the audience right there with the two characters feeling their horrid fear of being lost in space.  There were several moments where I even found myself breathing heavily feeling the lack of air pressure the same.  This will be a movie that by far is worth owning for any blu-ray/3d fan, especially on large HD televisions.  The film is a remarkable achievement.  Bullock and Clooney share wonderful chemistry but particularly Bullock’s performance is noteworthy here.  Gravity is the best film I’ve seen truly capture the usage of 3d since its re-invention in movies.

#6 MUD

Matthew McConaughey has completely transformed his career over the course of the last year.  He has been type-casted by his countless romcom roles that he went someplace over a long break from film and came back with Mud as his first of what would be a menacing 2013 return.  And boy did he ever.  Mud was the first movie I saw earlier in 2013 that I immediately knew would make the list.  It was damn near perfection of story, acting and writing.  The film revolves mostly around two young boys who find a boat on an island in their small country town, which they later realized is housed by a fugitive from the law (played by MM).  Over the course of the story, the kids find out why he’s a fugitive and in turn want to help him get free.  I rather not dabble much more than that, but needless to say the central message plays out reminiscent of another popular kids story, Huckleberry Finn.  A strong engaging tale on family, bonds and the loss of old values in a new modern world. 

#5 DALLAS BUYERS CLUB

Powerful stuff great movies are made of pretty much wraps up what Dallas Buyers Club is all about.  Centered during the early years of the AIDS virus when little to nothing was known and people thought you could catch the virus if you nearly breathed on someone.  DBC tells the story of Ron Woodrood (played once again by the menace return of Matthew McConaughey who very well may have won his first Oscar for this amazing performance), a rodeo-cowboy, heavy-cocaine user who discovers he is diagnosed with the AIDS virus and is told he has 30 days to live.  Defiant to what he is told, Woodroof teams up with a fellow AIDs carrying transgender Rayon (played equally as terrific by Jared Leto, who is a shoe-in for supporting actor Oscar) to set up the “Dallas buyers club” a $400 membership to prescribe illegal drugs that work better than (at the time) what most doctors prescribed patients.  With the help of a fellow doctor (Jennifer Garner in rare form for a change herself), the three try to tackle against the FDC to administer these superior drugs to the AIDs carrying patients.  The story was one I knew nothing about, but left overwhelmed and moved by its incredible drive of never giving up despite someone giving you a deadline on life.  MM’s performance alone, along with Leto’s jaw dropping transgender role, make DBC one of the top films of 2013. 

#4 FRUITVALE STATION

The tragic final day in the life of Oscar Grant, who was shot and killed by a police officer on New Years early hours coming off a transit train, is the story Fruitvale Station is about.  First time director Ryan Coogler absolutely hits it out of the park.  He puts the audience through Grant’s entire final 24 hours leading up to his unfortunate death.  A man trying to right many wrongs of his past, seizing his pot dealing ways to more legal money making opportunities.  To provide for his girlfriend and child that he wants to be a respectable father figure instead of a deadbeat drug dealer.  What really moves Oscars harrowing tale is the breakthrough performance of the year by Michael B. Jordan (whom many should recognize from hit TV shows The Wire and Friday Night Lights).  I am completely astounded by the Oscars and the Globes omitting this kid from being nominated because he is going to be a future STAR! Reminiscent of a young Denzel Washington with how he can convey emotional heartbreak right into anguish and aggression, Jordan brings Grant’s last hours to life and literally thrusts the audience into feeling every beat of his heart until its very last.  A rare true story that despite knowing early on how it’s going to end, keeps you watching until that horrific final shot. 

#3 RUSH

Every so often on these lists of mine, comes certain films that I have little to zero expectations for and weren’t even on my radar of must-see.  Rush is one of those very movies that I unfortunately have to admit that if it weren’t for high praise and continuing strong word of mouth, I would never have seen it.  And glad I am to have been swayed.  Rush brings back a director who once was Hollywood’s brightest and recently fell back.  Ron Howard shows us he still has what it takes to make an epic motion picture and did he ever exhilarate audiences with this one.  Rush tells the story of the 1976 Formula 1 season between two bitter rival drivers James Hunt (Thor’s Chris Hemsworth in as good a role as he has performed to date) and Niki Lauda (played terrifically and award-worthy by Daniel Bruhl).  Hunt is the charismatic showboating fan favorite who has the looks, smile and lady Casanova that captures any sports fans attention (think of him as the Derek Jeter in his prime figure).  Whereas his rival uses brains over brons to defeat his competition, Lauda is the cocky, asshole, none apologist that prides himself in being the best by not bragging about it (best comparison in today’s sports I would say is Kobe Bryant).  I explain the comparisons in order to give people who may have never heard of this movie as I did an idea on how these two drivers were and just how sports rivalry in general really does “drive” any sport.  Rivalry transcends sports, without that distain “hate” toward another player/team/organization does sports really mean as much if everything is likeable?  Absolutely not.  And being that I’m personally such a rabid sports enthusiast, Rush really captivated that correlation that goes on even today’s sporting age.  I did not even know this was a true story.  Rush deserves way more credit that it did, but I am eternally grateful I did not pass it up entirely as it end up being one of the best three movies I saw all year.  Movie fans and true sporting ones should not make the same mistake either.   

#2 AMERICAN HUSTLE

Director David Russell has struck gold on the big screen back-to-back years now.  After moving audiences and making us laugh at the same time in last year’s Silver Lining Playbook (my #1 choice on last year’s list), he did it again with the wonderful and radiant American Hustle.  Hustle takes place over the 70s/80s and is loosely based on the true story of the FBI ABSCAM that basically had every character trying to out con each other.  The main two con artists in play here are Irving and Sydney, played to perfection by Christian Bale and Amy Adams.  I cannot say enough about Christian Bale’s performance in Hustle.  We have seen this guy over many years play a variety of roles, but here I truly feel he has outdone himself.  Terrific performance.  Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence reunite with their Playbook director once more and in similar great fashion.  Cooper plays the FBI agent who arrests the con couple and forces them to help him get the bigger fish in the sea, manly the popular New Jersey Mayor (played by Jeremy Reiner) who is trying to bring gambling to the state but doesn’t carry enough big pocket spenders on his campaign.  Hustle is one long con within many smaller ones that every character involved is in on.  Jennifer Lawrence once again is flawless as she plays Bale’s still current wife/mother of his child, but is a ticking time bomb.  By far Hustle carries the best ensemble casting of 2013 with everyone bringing their A game, including a short cameo from another Playbook co star Robert DeNiro who kills it in his sole scene.  Hustle took home the Golden Globe for best picture and is only the second movie in over 30 years to be nominated for best picture and all 4 acting categories (actor/actress and supporting actor/actress) at the Oscars.  The other movie that did it….last year’s Silver Lining Playbook. 

#1 THE WOLF OF WALL STREET

There was never a doubt which movie belongs here.  The rest of the list may have been re-arranged several times but in the end Martin Scorsece’s newest masterpiece the Wolf of Wall Street was the best film of the year.  Despite the obvious reasons many young adults of my generation might consider this to be the “greatest movie of the year,” let’s not forget there is a true story behind this madness that ACTUALLY HAPPENED (I personally had to research online to see if some of this stuff was over dramatized but it really wasn’t).  Jordan Belfort became one of the youngest millionaires ever at 26 by running a pump-and-dump scheme using penny stocks on wealthy business companies (and early on not so wealthy) in order to raise his riches and fame.  A magazine article proclaimed him the Wolf of Wall Street and as the saying goes “the rest was history.” Leonardo DiCaprio has never been this good and this funny to watch in his entire long-storied film career.  His fifth collaboration with the great Scorsece, WOLF is by far the most fun the two have had together.  The black comedy-drama is probably the funniest movie you’ll watch all year, even those that are supposed to be “comedies.” A testament to just how marvelous a director/actor team these two greats are.  Sure some naysayers and older generation critics may not take to the excessive almost near-glorification drug usage that is prevalent in the film, however true to Belfort’s insane character the film is remaining true to form.  And clearly we all know this story isn’t going to end with him riding off into the sunset, so to speak.  Jonah Hill equals his greatest performance since Moneyball as Belfort’s right hand man, and firm partner who shares his wealth and drug partying bravado.  The two shine brightest when sharing the screen together, especially the now infamous “cerebral palsy” scene.  The remaining cast is phenomenal with Kyle Chandler (of Friday Night Light’s fame) as the FBI agent who has Belfort in his sights (the scene between the two on Belfort’s boat is one of the best scenes of the entire movie), new coming hottie who is certain to be a Hollywood doll to come Margot Robbie plays Belfort’s steamy smoking wife, and the always fun to watch Jon Berthal of Walking Dead fame (Shaneeeeeeeeeeee).  And I can’t leave without mentioning the menace of 2013 himself, Matthew McCaugnehey who steals his only scene in the opening of the film, which basically lays out the blueprint to stock broking 101 to Belfort.  Masturbating and cocaine.  Wolf of Wall Street will belong in every movie buffs blu ray library for future house parties to come.  Don’t be uninvited. 

               Come one, come all to the truly greatest season of movies-all.  Well, at least one of my favorite times of the year.  January is always a rather dull month, not just for film, but life in general.  Holidays have passed, New Year craze dies down, resolutions begin to falter and fade to black.  Summer is still half a year away; most of the country is riddled with shivering cool weather (except Miami of course, hate on hate on).  So for me, the award seasons for movies always kind of grasp my attention span to kill those early season blunders.  Golden Globes just passed and Oscars will arrive in February.  SOOOOOO, in the meantime, yours truly will once again bestow upon you “his” fellow choices for what was the 10 best selections in film over the past 12 months in 2012.   As always, I like to mention that this list is never the end-all-be-all superior list.  What makes watching movies so fascinating is how differently they affect us.  No one choice is right or wrong when we all have so many different emotions that react separate from one another.  Several movies on this list surprised even ME that I would not only enjoy them but enjoy them enough to merit “top ten of the year” worthy.  And that is the epitome of what movies will forever bring to our hearts.  The shock they can still overcome what we expect to endure and delightful surprises of what we never see coming.  A passion of mine I never see dying.  Here’s to all you other devoted movie-nerds out there that enjoy the escape from our reality over motion pictures.  To those special few films that really lifts us out of our worlds and into another realm.  These are my favorites for the past year…ENJOY!

As the years gone by, I feel these unlucky devils that narrowly missed making the list are more deserving of a few notes than just a title sound off.  Here’s a bit on the ones I really wanted to put but couldn’t place them above the main 10. 

Dark Knight Rises – the truly epic-scale-for an action-movie send off to what was a memorable trilogy, the Batman series will be tough to topple by whomever takes the torch after Christopher Nolan.  The opening half of the movie was terrific, musical score probably the best of all three movies (i have ran and worked out to the music several occasions, bane's theme is epic to say the least).  However, this finale piece wasn’t on the level of its two predecessors.  Weakest story of the 3 films (by far), and a horrid final 3^rd act that really let the fans more than anyone else down I feel.  Outside of another strong casted villain performance played well by the up and coming Tom Hardy, this Batman movie was the most “action packed” of the 3 and in-turn fumbled what made the first two so iconic; powerful story-telling with impeccable lead as well as supporting performances.  Rises was fun to watch, but forgettable over time whereas the first two were truly iconic movies.  That is why this is the first of the Nolan series to miss out on my top 10.  

Dredd – perhaps a bit too kind on my part but I personally thought this movie was the most FUN and ACTION PACKED movie of the year.  A film I had no doubt would be horrible and forgettable.  Dredd destroys its original 90s model starring Sylvester Stallone by leaps and bounds.  If you recall how Blade 1 surprised audiences and came onto the screen with loads of blood, gore and awesome action scenes, watch Dredd and thank me later.

The Impossible – terrific story of human survival based on the amazing true events of the Tsunami that tore apart Thailand in 2004, this story follows an American family who gets separated after the huge wave hits, and how a mother and father go through hell and back to find their family again.  Powerful scenes and well acted drama.  Highly recommend.

Zero Dark Thirty - Director Katheryn Bigelow’s follow-up to her highly acclaimed and Oscar Best Picture film The Hurt Locker is a mammoth of story-telling, pacing and vigorous tension.  When a film nearly pushes 3 hours and has zero to almost no action, you better have a story to tell.  And what better story to compel audiences than the “greatest manhunt in American history” as your tagline.  The final closing half hour of the film depicts the infamous raid mission on Osama’s compound and Bigelow takes us POV style as if were one of the members, the intensity is as vivid as any moment in film all year. 

Project X – most outrageous ridiculous, insanely fun, drugged-infested, alcoholic crazed, sexiest party you’ll have at the movies all year.  This should be at every pre game living room before everyone goes out partying the night away.  That alone makes this little crazy movie worthy of being mentioned as one of 2012s honorees. 

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10 – DJANGO UNCHAINED

One of the most anticipated movies of 2012 that I was excited to see.  Django had it all; amazing cast with a great director who wrote a fantastical idea of a screenplay.  Tarintino continues not to disappoint behind the lens or pad.  Here he arguably directs one of his funniest movies he ever done, even though almost all of his films have a comedic undertone in their relatively gory affairs.  Django, story of a black slave (Jamie foxx) who is freed by a bounty hunter (a superb Christopher Waltz, who basically plays the same character from Inglorious Basterds but on the good side here), who needs Django to help him find a slew of brothers who only he knows how they look.  But the most fun of this movie comes once we reach Candyland and were introduced to Candy, played by as good an acting job the great Leo DiCaprio can still show us.  It seems every movie he stars in he outdoes his last.  Albeit a short performance on screen, DiCaprio holds the audience hostage and commands its attention in every scene he possesses on screen.  Fantastic supporting roles by Samuel L. Jackson and Kerry Washington as well.  Django was a wonderful, entertaining piece of filmmaking that starts off our top 10. 

9 – THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER

The first of a couple movies that I mentioned before that surprised even ME, Perks by far away wasn't a movie even on my radar of must-sees.  Not only did I not take this movie very seriously (at first glance), I honestly only even watched it because of my secret affinity for Emma Watson (Hermione, I miss youuuuuuu).  Anyway lol.  Back on topic here, the film follows a high school outsider Charlie whose dealing with a number of personal issues, one of which is a twist we discover by the final act that truly is worthy of a “didn’t-see-that-coming” award.  When he finally befriends Sam and her stepbrother Patrick, the three become best of friends and the siblings in particular help fill the holes missing in Charlie’s disturbed life.  I talk a lot about story-telling being a supreme component in watching movies, and Wallflower’s enticing premise is what glued me to the screen for its entirety.  Many high school flashbacks to making tape recordings of your favorite songs (today’s youth will not understand this hell) to fitting in when you weren’t the prototypical jock or bully type.  I was never an introvert by any stretch, but I knew the types that were and had a few close friends that dealt with similar disadvantages.  The story definitely hits a home run, however it’s one that wont be one loved by all.  Movie buffs out there ought to give this small film a try, the result might surprise you too.

8 – ARGO

Gigli, Jersey Girl, Daredevil, Reindeer Games.  Who is this Ben Affleck that hopped behind the camera lens?  This guy has gone from laughing stock forgettable actor to mesmerizing, respected award-winning director.  It’s a truly dumbfounding revelation.  Affleck is now a perfect 3/3 as Director, and all 3 of his films have made my top 10 list (Gone Baby Gone, The Town).  In Argo, he tells the story of one of CIAs most ludicrous plots that only recently became public to the world.  A movie about a "fake movie" to help get Americans out of Iran in the 1979 hostage crisis that lasted months.  A truly incredible story directed and paced feverishly by Affleck, the suspenseful moments are truly remarkable and have to be appreciated by this guy.  Helping is one of the strongest casts of any movie out in 2012, Bryan Cranston (of Breaking Bad hysteria), Alan Arkin, John Goodman just to name a short few.  Affleck himself even shows his better-of-late acting chops.  Argo is a good story turned into a great movie due to the man behind the lens with an even greater cast playing their roles to perfection. 

7 – END OF WATCH

Cop films these days have become a dime a dozen.  Mostly formulaic, predictable and recycled.  From the attractions this one looked to me like a complete rip off of Training Day, minus the big name villain.  I couldn’t have been more wrong, despite the director of Training Day helming this movie.  End of watch throws the audience into the lives of two cop partners, Brain and Miguel, best of friends played with wonderful charisma by Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena.  The two arguably displayed the best on-screen chemistry of any two actors in 2012.  End of Watch documents the everyday lives of these two cops as they patrol the perilous duty of monitoring the scum of Los Angeles.  The movie uses the sometimes annoying use of handheld-documentary cameras to give the look of a more “in your face” realism.  For the most part it works because you surely get a sense that you feel like your following these guys into the dark gritty streets of LA.  Outside of Training Day, this truly was one of the better cop dramas to come out in recent memory.  A tour de force of emotion, action and drama.  The two cops will even make you laugh in the middle of it all, and that is a testament to just how good Jake and Michael acted and played off each other in the movie.  

6 – LIFE OF PI

The most technologically eye-popping film of 2012 and without question the best use of 3-D since James Cameron’s Avatar, Life of Pi was simply a wonderful, spell binding tale to watch unfold.  Immediately regret not having seen this in the theaters, very possible this movie may have ranked higher.  Despite the case, the overwhelming fantasy story of an Indian boy lost at sea with a tiger named Rob Parker after a stormy shipwreck is gripping and moving even.  A humane story about love, loss and finding faith when none exist.  Pi is based off a 2001 novel of the same name that was turned down by 5 publishers before getting picked up.  The rest, as they say, is history as the book went on to win many prizes around the globe and now earning 11 Academy Award nominations including Best Picture.  It’s an automatic shoo-in to win all the technical/effects awards as no movie literally popped out the screen at you quite like Director Ang Lee made Pi.  I never been as huge of a fan of Ang Lee as most people are of his work (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Hulk, Brokeback Mountain), however this is by far his most brilliant work behind the lens.  Although the story may appear to be geared toward a more family-friendly affair, the movie depicts some dark yet telling lessons that even young adults may learn to appreciate of life and all its ugly nature.  A story of survival and keeping the faith, Pi is one of the rarest forms of entertainment that you truly forget you’re lost inside of a movie.  With equally as compelling story as its jaw dropping-effects.  This will be a must own come its Blu Ray release date. 

5 – SKYFALL

Two words.  Bond, James Bond.  Okay technically that’s three.  But it’s been awhile since a Bond entry got to make the cut into my top ten (Casino Royale) and the first ever to clinch the top 5.  Skyfall was as close to a masterpiece as a Bond film can reach.  It was the darkest Bond film to date, by far.  And as with all Bond films, it cannot be truly memorable without a conniving and cunning villain.  And leave that to Javier Bardem (No Country for Old Men, Vicky Christina Barcelona) who may have put all previous Bond villains to bed.  His depiction of a bitter ex MI6 employee with a brilliant mind to manipulate, capture and kill his former employers was as riveting and stirring as any villain of 2012 (only Tom Hardy’s Bane was as equally prolific, but Bane was more physique where Bardem was more Joker to Bond’s Batman).   Daniel Craig plays the iconic character for the third time and truly has never been better, showing an immense range in emotion than we haven’t seen in the previous two bonds where he mostly has been stoic and cold.  Here we get to see where Bond came from, grew up, even some family background.  The climatic final showdown doesn’t disappoint whatsoever.  With all Bond movies, a bit of disbelief is going to be warranted.  However, even on Bond movie standards, Skyfall was indeed the Mona Lisa of them of all.  Here’s to shaken and never stirred Martinis, cheers. 

4 – LOOPER

The mind-fuck award of 2012 goes to #4 on this list, Looper.  A movie that was an immense amount of fun to watch.  And really is a treat to watch the second time around.  Looper had one of the most incredible original stories to tell of any movie in 2012, a shock in today’s Hollywood.  The story follows the idea that time travel got invented in the future but was immediately outlawed and only used by corrupt organizations to send those they wanted killed back in the past to be assassinated by “loopers” who would be paid for their work by attaching silver to the victims sent through time.  Still with me?  Exactly lol.  Believe me this is a movie that really can’t be explained verbally without giving your audience a question face expression.  For those who enjoyed films like Inception, Matrix, Back to the Future, with a little bit of Terminator thrown in for good measure, Looper has elements of all those classics sprinkled over its elaborate sophisticated plot.  When a looper, Joe (JGL) is assigned to kill one of these victims in the past, he realizes the guy sent back in time is him from the future (Bruce Willis).  In his moment of shock, older Joe gets free and is on the loose in the past, which is a huge no-no and can cause younger Joe his job and even his life.  Yea still lost there?  And not to mention I haven’t begun to discuss the main reason older Joe wants to be in the past.  There is so much richness in this story it truly would be criminal to give any more away.  To any sci-fi fan out there that enjoys a good old fashion time travel story, Looper will be a movie that surely won’t disappoint. 

3 – FLIGHT

Denzel Washington has long been billed as one of Hollywood’s crème de le crème, A-list actors.  Often than we’d like he does many moderate forgettable films such as the early in the year Safe House.  But when he puts his acting hat on for a role we revel to see him in, that is when we get to see Denzel for all he has to offer.  And such is the case for his performance in Robert Zemeckis’s Flight.  The Director behind Castaway and Forrest Gump, this is his first live-action film he’s done since 2000’s Castaway and it doesn’t show one bit.  Denzel plays one of the darkest roles I’ve ever seen him play, as a drunken-alcoholic pilot who heroically lands a plane that is doomed to crash, saving the majority of the passengers lives by flying the plan upside-down seconds before it crash lands.  The move was ballsy yet saved almost all their lives.  But when tests show the pilot had a BAL twice that of the legal limit, answers are demanded and Denzel is thrown from hero to finger-pointed blame for those who perished aboard.  Don Cheadle plays the company’s appointed attorney to help diminish the case against Denzel, but the man has to want to be saved.  And in the midst of his down-whirl spiral, we see him go places I have never seen him as an actor go.  Best Actor is all but assured to go to Daniel Day Lewis’s amazing portrayal of Lincoln, however I for one believe no one acted better in a film than Denzel Washington did in Flight.  Single-handedly carried this amazing story about a broken man whose years of self-hate and self-pity come to a climax by the story’s final act that truly warrants the stuff Oscars are made of.  Flight is a strong, emotionally moving piece of filmmaking.  And I hope it doesn’t get lost in the mud at this years awards…but it most likely will. 

2 – LES MISERABLES

The shocker of 2012 has to be this 3-hour epic musical of the legendary story by Victor Hugo, the amazing Les Miserables.  A story re told and re told for over 100 years, made into a musical-Broadway hit and now its most updated version yet, this was the first time I have ever watched the story unfold.  As a movie buff and admirer, I give every movie its honest due, however I for one was very skeptical walking into a 3 hour musical of which I typically detest.  I walked in the theater flushed; when I walked out I was floored.  The great cat and mouse tale of the criminal Jon Valjean (played masterfully by Hugh Jackman) and police inspector Javert (one of Russell Crowe’s best work acting wise) takes place over the course of 17 years, beginning with Valjean’s parole after serving 19 years of slavery for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s dying child.  Javert is a policeman who shows no mercy for sorrows or humanity, he lives by the letter of the law through and through.  And although Crowe’s singing ability leaves something to be desired, his acting trumpets the few notes he can’t hit, enough to look over its imperfections.  Anne Hathaway’s portrayal of the ill-fated Fantine is absolutely terrific and is a sure lock for best supporting actress for the Oscars.  Her rendition of the soulful “I Dreamed a Dream” will leave you breathless.  Musicals clearly are a love-it-or-hate-it system and you’re either going to love this movie for the music or despise it because of it.  I am not the typical musical lover, admittedly.  However the epic-scope of the story that transpired completely engulfed my emotions.  I simply have never had a movie do so before so vigorously.  The movie deserves an audience, musical lovers or non alike.  Some men will force themselves to hate this movie because of a lack of toughness that comes with enjoying a musical.  I dare those men to show true form and admit to something that moves you no matter the subject.  Oh and did I mention the soundtrack deserves an award itself?  Even once you look past Crowe’s inept voice, his solo pieces grow on you because the music and story just bury you in its powerful message.  Great music, great acting, GREAT MOVIE!!!!!

1 – SILVER LINING PLAYBOOK

Rom-coms have come a long long way when one can reach the status of Best Movie of the Year.  However, in years since the great Sleepless in Seattle in 1993, You’ve Got Mail years later and all the muddled recycled teeny-bopper crap in between, rom coms have truly elevated the manner of which they been perceived.  Here David Russell directs quite arguably one of the best motion pictures I’ve seen in the past half decade.  Silver Lining Playbook is a human story carried solely by its characters.  Bradley Cooper (who finally shows here he has top-bill actor abilities) plays Pat, who is out of a mental hospital suffering from bi-polar after walking in on his wife having sex with another man, and nearly beating him to death.  He blurts out obscenities with no filter and is a major asshole to just about anyone who he comes across.  Whether its his own mother and father (played to absolute wonder by Jacki Weaver and Robert DeNiro, who hasn’t acted THIS GOOD in god knows when), best friend and his wife and her sister Tiffany (played by the charming and elegant Jennifer Lawrence who has matured so fast its hard to imagine she was just in Hunger Games a few months earlier).  Pat is thrusted back into reality once he gets back home, but works on keeping himself busy with activities; such as running with a garbage bag round his neighborhood, or watching Eagles-football with his widely obsessive and superstitious father (DeNiro).  However when Pat meets Tiffany, who is recovering from mental issues of her own after her husband died, an unusual type of spark obviously ignites but not exactly how you think it will.  Pat still believes Nikki (his ex wife) is the one and he is determined to get passed her restraining order to prove to her he’s a new man.  There are layers and layers of rich human-emotion told throughout this amazing story masquerading as a romantic comedy.  To label this film as another run of the mill rom com is like calling Johnny Walker another whiskey bottle.  It’s just disrespectful, ok lol.  Not since 1981 has the Oscars recognized a movie with nominating all its actors in all 4 of its acting categories.  Throw in best picture nomination as well and you can see why this movie is getting the credit it definitely deserves.  The movie will make you laugh, make you cringe, make you scream and yes, may even make you cry (a particular scene where Pat’s father breaksdown to him is one that moved my emotions with reminders of my own father).  Silver Lining Playbook is a rare kind of dramedy that has elements of a rom com, drama and comedy.  A feat that’ll surely find an audience in all fashions.  I was so impressed and left in awe by the ending of the picture, even if everyone knows how it’s going to end.  The speech DeNiro tells his son Pat that deals with letting moments in life pass you by being a sin is one of the most moving “chill scenes” expressed in any kind of drama you’ll see.  The ending will still sweep you off your feet and not leave you for a long long time.  A movie I’m actually excited to watch again and again as the years go bye.