As awards season is in full swing, I figured it's time that I look back at the 10 best movies of 2012. In order for a movie to make the list, I had to actually see the movie so many acclaimed films are off this list. Without further ado, let's begin.
10.
Not only was it cool to see so many different video game characters and references in one movie, it was great to see Wreck-It-Ralph not have to rely on these things to carry it. Wreck-It-Ralph is the diamond in the rough when it comes to video game movies, and proved to audiences, critics, and (most importantly) studio executives that a good video game movie is indeed possible.
9.
Studio Ghibli could quite possibly be one of my favorite film studio, period. They are responsible for some of my favorite movies of all time, and it's nice to see them grow in popularity here in the States. The Secret World of Arrietty is very different from most animated films today in that it takes its time and is very atmospheric, instead of relying on constant action and pop-culture jokes to hold your attention . In my opinion, this could go down as one of the most overlooked movies of the year.
8.
I've only recently become a fan of the James Bond series, and out the movies I have seen so far, this is by far the best. As a 50th Anniversary movie, Skyfall celebrates everything that is good and goofy about Agent 007. Throw in a great cast, several franchise in-jokes, and you've got one of the best action movies of 2012. The movie is very clever in how it addresses the age of the franchise but also shows that there are no signs of it slowing down anytime soon.
7.
When this movie was announced, I was in the same camp as most people. "It's too soon". However, I am pleased to say that this movie outdoes the Sam Raimi efforts many times over. Everything about this reboot is instantly more likable than anything in the previous trilogy. This is a Spider-Man for the modern crowd, and is looking to be the series that many Spider-Man fans have been waiting for ever since the mixed results of the conclusion of Sam Raimi's trilogy.
6.
With the conclusion of the Harry Potter and Twilight sagas, young adult readers now turn to Suzanne Collins' Hunger Games series to satisfy their need for teenage drama, violence, romance, etc. What's great about this series is that it actually takes its target audience seriously, unlike the Twilight Saga. This series has everything: likable characters, a great premise and setting, and on top of all that there's some pretty decent satire if you look hard enough. I have high hopes for this franchise and eagerly await the next installment
5.
It's a wonder why a film adaptation of what could arguably be the most popular musical of the last 25 years didn't get made sooner. However, the wait was worth it. The cast and crew of Les Miserables do something different with the material. Instead of lip sync the actors sing live, and at the same time sound more raw and dramatic in order to give the audience a greater sense of realism. The style has caused a split with the fans and critics, but in my opinion, I think it worked quite well most of the time. Add in a fantastic story, characters, and terrific performances, and you've got one of the best musical film adaptations of the past decade.
4.
If there's one thing that Disney and Pixar continue to impress me with, it would be their short films. Screened with Pixar's Brave, La Luna is hands down my favorite Disney/Pixar short film to date, and was far better than the main feature. The short oozes with creativity and like The Secret World of Arrietty, doesn't need to be loud or constantly throwing jokes to hold your attention. Just sit back and let it captivate you.
3.
As an avid fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth mythology, I was one of the many people counting down to the release of the Lord of the Rings prequel. Despite my disagreement with splitting the story into three movies, I was extremely satisfied with the first installment. While some complained about the nearly three hour long run-time, I felt that it allowed the movie to fully cover the source material and tie itself into the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I have a feeling that the following installments will only get better.
2.
Watching a Quentin Tarantino movie is always an interesting experience because you know what you're going to get, but at the same time you don't. Tarantino's throwback to Westerns is smartly written, funny, and of course, pretty violent. Don't expect to see this on TV in the near future. There isn't a bad performance to be found here, with Christoph Waltz and Samuel L. Jackson delivering the most. Honestly, I don't have a single complaint against this movie, and it would have been my number 1 pick if it wasn't for...
1.
For a movie with four years worth of hype and expectations, The Avengers could have been a complete disaster in the hands of another director. Fortunately, Marvel knew to give the director's chair to Joss Whedon, who has gained acclaim through his TV shows (Firefly, Buffy, Dr. Horrible). It's a miracle that a movie of this ambition got the green light in the first place, and for the finished product to work as well as it does is even more impressive. For being a game changer in not just the comic book movie, but in the way a movie is marketed altogether, no other movie sums up 2012 quite like The Avengers.
