Best Horror Film of 2012: Sinister
Using the framing device of found footage without actually relying on the handycam approach of something like Paranormal Activity, Sinister proved to be the best of a bad bunch for the horror genre this year. Ethan Hawke was excellent in his first real foray into the genre and as always with box office successes there’s bound to be sequels ahead. Read the full review here¦
In a year where great things were expected from Ridley Scott’s Prometheus it was Rian Johnson’s Looper that came from nowhere and blew audiences away. Joseph Gordon-Levitt stepped up to the leading role alongside Bruce Willis and provided a Terminator-like story with some real heart and a wilful disregard for the laws of time travel. Read the full review here…
In a year where the main pretender to Peter Jackson’s fantasy film crown was Snow White and the Huntsman, which failed to reach even the slightly dipping quality of the next Middle Earth installment, it isThe Hobbit that remains top of the pile. It may have suffered from a lack of grandiose epic impact, but was still head and shoulders above anything else. Read the full review here…
In a year where animated films seemed heavily influenced by Halloween and the horror genre ParaNorman just edged Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie in terms of fun and enjoyment. The glorious scenes of the impending zombie assault as well as constant references to past horror classics put ParaNorman in the higher band of quality than the rest. Read the full review here¦
A truly startling left-field action film directed by Welshman and grounded in the martial art from Indonesia. The Raid, like a kicking and punching Die Hard exploded from no where in 2012 and took the world by storm. Immediately establishing both director and lead as stars, it is one of the most memorable action films in recent years. Read the full review here…
Pipped for the best comic book film of 2012 award, The Avengers combination of a-list stars, witty dialogue and surprisingly blood-free action all adds up to a hugely popular and thoroughly fun family film. The public agree too as The Avengers ended up taking over $1.5b at the box office. Read the full review here…
Seth MacFarlane, the mastermind behind Family Guy and American Dad ventures out from animated television into live action with his directorial debut feature film Ted. Never far from controversy, MacFarlane has seen his show’s cancelled and restarted more than any other person in American television, yet one thing remains clear, he has a keen eye for the satirical, the cultural and above all else, the socially inappropriate and with Ted, he doesn’t hold back. Read the full review here…
Nothing says romance like two mad Northern English people on a road trip that descends into chaotic, illegal activity. This sums up the most bizarre romantic comedy of the year. Ben Wheatley˜s previous films Down Terrace and Kill List are obvious inspirations to this blackest of black comedies, but what’s so surprising is the level to which Sightseers makes you care about the romance at the heart of the story. Even if they’re both as mad as a box of frogs. Read the full review here¦
Like many of Haneke’s most successful movies, such as Hidden and The White Ribbon, it is set in France rather than his native Germany and features a French cast. There are very few plaudits Michael Haneke has not received, and more are certainly on the way. Already a multiple Palme D’Or winner, he will surely go down as one of the finest directors of his generation, and Amour will take its place as one of his finest pieces of work. Read the full review here¦
With Marley, Director Kevin Macdonald adds to his increasing roster of fine documentaries, presenting an energetic and moving portrait of arguably the 20th century’s greatest musical icon. Right from the off this is a film packed full of character, verve and passion. Macdonald clearly embraces this aesthetically, with colours bursting forth from the screen at every opportunity. Read the full review here…
Berberian Sound Studio is the second film from writer / director Peter Strickland, following on from 2009’s critically acclaimed Katalin Varga. Set in the 1970s, it centres on Gilderoy (Toby Jones), an unworldly, middle aged sound engineer who travels from his home in Dorking to the titular sound studio somewhere in Rome. Gripping, claustrophobic and a thoroughly enticing thriller. Read the full review here¦
Dredd was a masterful piece of film-making. It blended adult-themed action with a suspenseful plot, all filmed in an innovate, yet cost-effective way. My initial reaction to yet another re-imagining of John Wagner’s mercurial character was one of forehead-slapping, nose-pinching dismay, yet Karl Urban’s portrayal was imperious. Acting purely through changing the expressions of his mouth, he managed to recreate Dredd’s deadly pragmatism and unabashed loyalty to ˜The Law’. Pete Travis’ direction is sure to secure him a shot at a sequel Read the full review here¦
The Perks of Being a Wallflower spoke to me on a deeper level than any film has for years. It has its flaws, but all films do and the perfection of everything from the cast to the script to the soundtrack help to mask any minor quibbles in direction. It’s not cool, it’s unlikely to win any awards or make billions at the box office, but in my opinion, this is the most stunning coming of age drama not only of the year, but possibly of all time. Read the full review here…
While The Perks of Being a Wallflower was my favourite film of the year on a personal level, it’s difficult to look past Ang Lee’s Life of Pi for it’s combination of incredible storytelling, superb central performance and sumptuous visuals. Those who have read Life of Pi will understand the importance and impact of the ending, but for everyone else it is one of the most moving, left-field realisations in years. Made all the more poignant by Sharma˜s performance and Khan˜s Voice-over the final scenes will stay with you long after the credits as will the visual poetry created by Ang Lee in what must be his best film to date as he Takes the impossible and makes it not only probable, but believable. Life of Pi makes you believe in life, beauty and the indomitable spirit of humanity.
Trailer Review Tarantino gets a lot of stick for his movies. He is accused of…