A Look Back at 2012
The year was 2012. The year began with a cruise ship running aground off the coast of Italy. Vladimir Putin was elected President of Russia and the movie going audience was gifted two, count ‘em, TWO, different films about Abraham Lincoln. After watching and re-watching 100 of the best, worst and most infamous films of 2012, my job here is to rank the Top 10, as well as the ONE WORST, films of the year. So, grab your copy of Taylor Swift’s Red, your Tesseract and Gangum Style with me back to the year 2012!
Author’s Note: These are just my opinions. Friendly and respectable discourse is always welcome. Also, minor spoilers, of course.
Full List on Letterboxd: https://boxd.it/hSckO
Song to Blast: Girl on Fire by Alicia Keys (Girl on Fire)
10. Dredd
Starring: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Headey, Wood Harris
Directed by: Pete Travis
Where to Watch: Peacock (Sub), Most Rental Platforms
Does everyone remember the 1995 Judge Dredd disaster? Hopefully not after viewing this excellent adaptation of the titular Dredd. This flick has NO RIGHT to be as good as it is. Carefully crafted director Peter Travis and writer Alex Garland, Dredd is an action-packed thrill ride from beginning to end. Jeez, I sound like a VHS box cover. Regardless, everything works here; the plot, detailing a future where class is at war (sounds familiar). The effects, which are usually a sticking point of 2010s action, look solid and brutal. The acting is top-notch, a pure shock for a movie of this caliber. Karl Urban’s stoicism and Lena Headey’s black widow-like demeanor make for a very dope flick that should not be slept on. Trust me…I am the law!
Read Pop Break’s original review here…
9. The Raid
Starring: Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Donny Alamsyah, Yayan Ruhian
Directed by: Gareth Evans
Where to Watch: Most Rental Platforms
You ever see a movie so badass, it gets imprinted on your brain for years to come? Terminator 2 and Die Hard come to mind first. The Raid should be a very close third. From beginning to end, The Raid is nothing but non-stop action. You have no room to breathe. Thousands of bullets are sprayed, blood is lost and bones are broken. The usual aspects that make a great film are largely absent here; the plot is almost second banana to the action, the character development gives way to the effects and the resolution is overshadowed by close quarters cinematography. If you’ve never seen this flick, do yourself a favor and grab a beer and enjoy 100 minutes of over the top fun.
9. Wreck-It Ralph
Starring: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jane Lynch, Jack McBrayer, Ed O’Neill, Alan Tudyk
Directed by: Rich Moore
Where to Watch: Disney+, Most Rental Platforms
Is it safe to say that Wreck-It Ralph is the greatest video game movie of all time? Sorry Sonic the Hedgehog (who is ironically in this film), but Ralph takes first place (see what I did there?) This flick should not have worked, however. An original IP mingling in the video game world with a slew of existing IPs the world has been dying to see brought to the big screen. The aforementioned Sonic, Bowser, members of Street Fighter, Pitfall Harry, Frogger; they’re all here and they all pop off the screen, enticing every gamer to point and say “HEY!” But what about the actual movie? Is it just a list of cameos with no substance? The easy answer is no, as Wreck-It Ralph is filled with so much heart, The Grinch would be jealous. Like many Disney/Pixar flicks of the 2010s, internal struggles are the focus, with this film focusing on the dangers of what we go through to be accepted by our peers and superiors. The levels here are deep (as are my puns), spearheaded by the excellent voice talents listed above, especially the brilliant Sarah Silverman as the Vanellope. If you haven’t seen this movie, hop on Disney+ NOW! You’ll be glad you did.
Read Pop Break’s original review here…
7. 21 Jump Street
Starring: Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Brie Larson, Dave Franco, Ice Cube, Rob Riggle
Directed by: Lord & Miller
Where to Watch: Most Rental Platforms
We move from two non-stop action movies at 10 & 9 to two movies that had no right to be as good as they were. The question “why” is asked a lot when films are announced and there is no better example of this than in 2010 when it was announced there would be a movie about the “hit” 80s show 21 Jump Street. “You mean that really cheesy teens show starring Johnny Depp and Peter DeLuise,” we all exclaimed, laughing along the way at how stupid this movie was going to be. We, however, were the stupid ones, because 21 Jump Street might be one of the funniest flicks of the century.
Writers/Directors Phil Lord and Christopher Miller took the impossible task of making something we all KNEW would be bad, flipped that on its meta-head and MADE it work. Every criticism the internet threw at it was addressed; the leads being too old to be highschoolers, Gen-X vs. millennial ideals, the lack of originality in Hollywood- it’s all here and it’s all funny. Leads Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill understood the assignment, injecting their own personal brand of energy into every scene. You ask anyone between the ages of 33-25 to quote this flick and you’ll be stuck with them for at least 30 minutes. This is the mark of a truly great comedic classic and it might have even been outdone by its sequel (but you’ll have to wait until 2014 to see if that’s true).
Read Pop Break’s original review here…
6. Silver Linings Playbook
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert DeNiro, Chris Tucker, Jacki Weaver
Directed by: David O. Russell
Where to Watch: Most Rental Platforms
Mental health. It’s an ugly subject, one that our collective society has done their absolute best to ignore for thousands of years. Yet, at the turn of the decade, something changed; humans started to take their mental health seriously, even with the many trials and tribulations that are bound to come with it. This is where Silver Linings Playbook succeeds. Bradley Cooper’s Pat Jr. is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, something his conservative Philadelpia family is not too happy to accept. He meets Jennifer Lawrence’s Tiffany, a recent widow who must now deal with life alone. If it sounds like a basic love story, it isn’t.
This film is volatile. Neither of these people know how to deal with what they’re going through, let alone how to navigate a friendship with another “damaged” person (the film’s words, not mine). Pat Jr. begins to realize his father (Robert DeNiro) has the same tendencies he does. Since he’s from another generation, these are just considered commonplace, undiagnosed sickness that has no merit. Add in the superlatives of Philadelphia Eagles football, a dance competition and a totally out of field but hilarious Chris Tucker character, you have one hell of a film. It’s one of the few films to receive the Big Five nominations at the Oscars, with Jennifer Lawrence’s performance most deserving of its win. Not since One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest has mental health in film been dissected so perfectly.
Read Pop Break’s original review here…
5. ParaNorman
Starring: Kodi Smit-McPhee, Tucker Albrizzi, Jodelle Ferland, Anna Kendrick, Casey Affleck, Leslie Mann, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, John Goodman
Directed by: Sam Fell and Chris Butler
Where to Watch: The Roku Channel, Most Rental Platforms
LAIKA Studios have never made a bad film and ParaNorman is their magnum opus. You’ll be shocked to hear this film is again, about an outcast (seems to be a trend in 2012), navigating his life in beautiful stop-motion glory. Animation is wrongly considered a children’s medium but films such as this prove that to be untrue. While I put a film such as this (along with Coraline and Monster House) into a genre I like to call “Children’s Horror,” the themes can resonate with anyone at any age.
You can get a grasp of what Norman feels more as an adult, especially the more you watch it. Visually, the film is stunning, as the colors pop off the screen, assaulting the viewer with some of the coolest visuals ever put to clay. The monsters and ghosts seen here are some of the most oddly satisfying put to screen. Oddly visual, emotional, and hilarious, I sense you’re seeing a trend here. Add in some adult humor and a way ahead of its time gay character, ParaNorman is a must watch for any season.
Read Pop Break’s original review here…
4. Skyfall
Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Wishaw
Directed by: Sam Mendes
Where to Watch: Netflix, Prime Video, Most Rental Platforms
This may come off as controversial, but I enjoyed all of the Daniel Craig Bond films to varying degrees. Most would say he had three good films. A few others might say four. What you will most likely always hear, however, is a battle between the top spot for his best. This is always between 2006’s Casino Royale and Skyfall. I am not here to pick one, but just to talk about how perfect of an action, spy and Bond flick Skyfall is and why it is ranked here for the year 2012.
Skyfall embodies everything a Bond film should; action, gadgets, sex, cheesiness and a badass villain that will stand the test of time. What separates Skyfall from the rest of Bond’s oeuvre is the character. Not just Bond himself, but his relationships with Q, Moneypenny, Mallory and especially M, in one of Dame Judi Dench’s finest performances (yeah, I said it). Bond isn’t just the sex driven lotahrio anymore; he’s a human being that makes human connections, all of which are exploited by an all-time great Bond villain in Javier Bardem’s Silva. Skyfall is a force- one that will, and should, top Bond lists for years to come.
Read Pop Break’s original review here…
3. The Cabin in the Woods
Starring: Kristen Connolly, Fran Kranz, Jesse Williams, Chris Hemsworth, Anna Hutchinson, Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, Sigourney Weaver, Amy Acker
Directed by: Drew Goddard
Where to Watch: Tubi, Most Rental Platforms
We hear a lot of this when it comes to the horror genre today: horror isn’t what it used to be. You’re damn right it isn’t. Horror has stood the test of time by evolving with every passing decade, utilizing every generation’s quirks to their advantage. The Cabin in the Woods takes everything we’ve learned from horror since its inception, turns it on its head, shakes it up and then throws the pages into the air. If you think you know where this film is going upon first view, you don’t.
If you think you know the tropes it’s poking fun at, you don’t. The Cabin in the Woods is the true definition of meta-filmmaking, one that has to be crafted carefully to be taken seriously. The editing is fun, the horror is fun, the acting is fun, the movie is just so much damn fun, it’s impossible not to love. Then there’s the ending, one that makes you say “Holy Shit, what just happened” and makes you want to start the film all over again.
Read Pop Break’s original review here…
2. Django Unchained
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Walter Goggins
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Where to Watch: Tubi, Fubo, Most Rental Platforms
The word “masterpiece” and name “Tarantino” are so interlocked at this point they might as well get tattoos of each other (don’t think too hard about that). Whether it be Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown or Inglourious Basterds, the man has had cultural hit after hit for three decades now. In 2012, Django Unchained joined that list, a tour de force of slavery and black human rights post Civil War. Django Unchained is a simple revenge tale, but it pops off the screen because of Tarantino’s vision, his ability to get the absolute best out of his actors and his eye for deep meaning behind every shot.
Jamie Foxx’s reserved Django is a master class in acting, holding the viewer in the palm of his hand as we wait for him to explode. Christoph Waltz lights up the screen with his zaniness and unpredictability. But it’s Leonardo DiCaprio that steals the show, depicting the absolute worst human being imaginable, eating up as much scenery as possible, times ten. Everything fits like a glove because of Tarantino’s sharp writing and hard nosed directing. I’m sure, if he ever read this, he’d appreciate the kind words. Too bad he’d hate my number one…
Read Pop Break’s original review here…
1. The Avengers
Starring: Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Cobie Smulders, Clark Gregg, Stellan Skarsgård
Directed by: Joss Whedon
Where to Watch: Disney+, Most Rental Platforms
I can hear it now: oH mY gOD a MARveL moViE aT NumBEr OnE!!!” Yes, get over it. You don’t have to love the MCU by any means, and more likely than not, a superhero flick will not top these lists, but be rational here; it deserves it. This movie was never supposed to happen. There was no way in Hell comic book fans ever thought they’d see a team up like this on screen. It was an absolute miracle it happened and even more so that it turned out to be great.
This franchise will be ranked until the end of time but one will be hard pressed to not put The Avengers at number one. Everything works here. The story is tight, giving each and every character and plot point a reason to exist. The visuals, which seem to have regressed in the past few years, hold up. I believe everything I’m seeing is real. The action is fun, the stakes are real and, holy hell, the acting is superb. Everyone brought their A-game, from Downey to Evans to Johansson to Renner. Say what you need to about the rest of the MCU (and I’m sure you will), but this set a template that is hard to match and it set if perfectly. Perfect superhero movies are rare. This is one of them.
Listen to the Bill vs. The MCU Podcast episode about Avengers here.
Honorable Mentions
Chronicle, Celeste & Jesse Forever, Frankenweenie, Sinister, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Goon, Zero Dark Thirty, Ruby Sparks, Argo, Maniac
Documentary Spotlight
The Announcement (Magic Johnson and his announcement of AIDS)
A Band Called Death (the first Punk Rock band)
Comic Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope (the preservation and growth of Comic Con)
The Imposter (stolen identity and the death of a child)
No Room for Rockstars (Vans Warped Tour)
Room 237 (The Shining and the conspiracy theories surrounding it)
West of Memphis (the trial and release of the West Memphis Three)
Not Listed
John Dies at the End (Released Wide in 2013)
The Iceman (Released Wide in 2013)
Spring Breakers (Released Wide in 2013)
The Lords of Salem (Released Wide in 2013)
The Place Beyond the Pines (Released Wide in 2013)
Worst Film of 2012
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part Two
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Dakota Fanning, Ashley Greene, Jackson Rathborne, Kellen Lutz, Nikki Reed, Jamie Campbell Bower, Billy Burke, Michael Sheen
Directed by: Bill Condon
Where to Watch: Fubo, Most Rental Platforms
Sigh…look. Twilight as an ideal gets a lot of hate, some deserved, some not so much. I like a lot of so bad they’re good movies. A great example is first Twilight flick. The following sequels have some of those aspects as well. But no…Breaking Dawn Part 2 is BAAAAAADDDD. It has to be one of the absolute worst blockbuster films ever made. Everything is wrong here. Everything. The acting, the drama, the dialogue, the action and the effects. Can we talk about that damn CGI baby?! The Lochness Monster line?! It’s just garbage. We should all feel bad for having watched it.
Honorable Mentions
Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines, ThanksKilling 3, Smiley, Dark Shadows, Silent Hill Revelations
