Best of 2012

*This was originally published on CinemaBeach, where I post reviews every Thursday. Please visit the website to read more of my work as well as many other pieces by our great staff.

If one thing can be said about making a top ten list in 2012, it is that you have to kill some of your babies. In the process of compiling the list, I mulled over what was the best, and there were at least 20 valid options. However, when I look back over time, my selection reflects a year of ambitious cinema and movies that either moved me or lead to a desire to discuss with others. That is essentially what I look for, and this year was ripe with selection. My selection may be imperfect, as I haven’t seen Django Unchained, Zero Dark Thirty, or Amour yet, but from what I have seen, these are the movies that made me proud to sit in a theater and feel like the medium still has something new to offer.

Moonrise Kingdom 

My favorite film of the year and possibly my new favorite Wes Anderson movie is a tale of young forbidden love played by great first timers Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward. With the familiar Anderson troupe, the film’s earnest depiction of love is set alongside the funniest, most adventurous nature film in recent years. Add in great comedic performances by Bruce Willis, Tilda Swinton, and the infectiously twee Edward Norton, and the result is a nostalgic look at what it means to be young and naïve with the world as your oyster. At very least, Moonrise Kingdom is a reminder that we should never lose our sense of wonder and joy no matter how old we get.

The Master 

At the center of the film is the magnetic Joaquin Phoenix, who plays an unhinged, hedonistic sailor and is a fascinatingly misunderstood character. In fact, it is hard to say that he makes any more sense by the film’s end. However, the journey to get there features equally thrilling and engaging performances by Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams. This is a top notch film with director Paul Thomas Anderson proving that he is still capable of churning out great challenging cinema. While more polarizing than There Will Be Blood, the film succeeds on every front and features one of the best scores of the year by Jonny Greenwood and the exact reason that Phoenix is one of my favorite working actors.

Holy Motors 

If any film will reassure you that cinema still has places to go, it is the latest Leos Carax film, which doesn’t have so much a plot as a series of fascinating vignettes. Easily the most original and captivating film of the year, it pays homage to classic films while exploring every possible facet of genre, including bizarre segments involving C.G.I., accordion playing, and even a heartbreaking Kylie Minogue song called “Who Were We?” The film breaks all of the rules, makes little sense, but proves that Carax is a master filmmaker. Actor Denis Lavant gives one of the greatest performances of all time as a chameleon who convincingly pulls off many indistinguishable costumes. More than any other film this year, Carax’s love of old French cinema manages to commentate on the future of movies in the most meta, entertaining, charismatic way possible.

ParaNorman 

It is a shame that Laika Studios cannot produce films at a faster rate. With ParaNorman, they officially solidified themselves as the most fascinating animation studio working today. With a film that calls back to classic horror films, including a score reminiscent of Dawn of the Dead, the story’s central theme of being a misfit who just wants to talk to somebody is done in such a progressive, livewire manner that the film feels more modern than its competition. It has plenty of weird humor and the cast have an aura of Scooby Doo to them that may seem borderline campy, but as a kid’s film, there is very little to compete with in terms of overall enjoyment. The film manages to lovingly pay homage to the horror genre that inspired it while being an original story with a beautiful message at its core.

Girl Walk // All Day 

If one movie proves that Kickstarter is not just a joke site to launch David Fincher projects, it’s this brilliant joy ride by director Jacob Krupnick. Set to schizophrenic mash-up artist Girl Talk’s 2010 album “All Day,” the story follows Anne Marsen, Dai Omiya, and John Doyle as they turn the state of New York into the biggest dance stage ever. What is more impressive is that along with mind-bending, fourth wall breaking choreography that hits all of the small clicks and pops of the ever changing music, is that there is some semblance of plot that keeps the dancing from ever seeming pointless. With gorgeous camera work and Marsen’s endless supply of energy, this may be the most uplifting film that says more about being young in the 21st century than any scripted drama. Krupnick should earn awards for the simple task of turning shallow, empty music into something of high class art with something important to say, and with no spoken dialogue to say the least.

Rust and Bone 

I was not a fan of Jacques Audiard’s previous film A Prophet, so I was skeptical going into his latest. Almost immediately, I was in love with everything about it. The humanity and the ability for love to be found in spite of tragedy all manage to be heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time. Marion Cotillard is radiant and thanks to the equally beautiful cinematography, not a lot needs to be said for her to evoke sympathy. Even co-star Matthias Schoenaerts is fantastic as a man who boxes in parking lots and tapes his sister at work. In many ways, he seems despicable, but when the two fall in love, it is some of the best chemistry that I have seen this year. With plenty of metaphors and a tragic ending, Rust and Bone manages to be a deeply profound look into the complexities of life and the belief that we should never let them keep us from moving forward.

Les Miserables 

It has been awhile since a musical of such scale and spectacle has been released with such energy and innovation. Tom Hooper’s adaptation is a fascinatingly ambitious attempt to turn the stage show into a painstakingly faithful adaptation for the ages. This is largely thanks to songs done in single takes by the aggressively captivating Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway. By the time that the French Revolution comes into the mix and “One Day More” kicks in, Hooper has achieved his goal by making the vocals rattle your emotions set alongside great set pieces. For musical fans, this is a marvelous journey into how to do big budgeted adaptations that run the gamut of emotion and will make you laugh, cry, and cheer as they sing their way to a brighter future.

The Grey 

Liam Neeson stars in this existential study on what it means to be a man through the task of survival in the wilderness of Alaska. Things are often hopeless and the wolves are only moments away from killing off someone. It is an engaging tale that sees one of Neeson’s best performances and the consistently thrilling journey towards freedom. While extremely bleak at times, The Grey is a great piece of entertainment that explores the vulnerability of human emotions and proves why Neeson may be one of the better elder action stars just by being self-reflective through voice over. The film manages to be meditative, scary, and hopeful all at the same time and proves that sometimes we’re not the most adaptable creatures in the food chain.

The Cabin in the Woods 

I have reviewed a plethora of bad horror films in my time with CinemaBeach. So many that I initially wrote this movie off when the trailer was released. Upon finally seeing it, I considered it a revolutionary entry into the genre. It is also more ground breaking on the basis that it effectively made hushed conversations of spoilers more than faux pas used for every other uninspired movie. It has been awhile since a movie has been this exciting, and for it to be one of the most original, twist-heavy horror films in years just made me love it more. This film proves that sometimes you can never go too over the top. Reeking of great meta humor, this is one of the most exciting horror films since Attack the Block and may very well be the greatest reason to talk about movies in 2012.

Jeff, Who Lives at Home

This was the year of Mark and Jay Duplass, who seemed to put out a movie every other weekend this past summer. Of the batch, none were better than this small family comedy that took watching Signs to a whole new level. Jason Segel stars as titular Jeff as he tries to find a man who will show him his destiny. Over the course of a day with his shady brother, played by Ed Helms, we get a profound character study that explores the very elements that make us human. At times, it even explores spirituality and fate in ways that are devoid of being preachy. The film is capable of being as deep as it is funny. With Segel giving one of his best performances, this film manages to be ambitious despite its slacker protagonist. It also proves that the Duplass Brothers’ voice is going to be a nice welcome to the comedy community once they find a way to release a movie every other day in a few years.

Honorable mentions: Sleepwalk with Me, Life of Pi, Smashed, Oslo, August 31st, Safety Not Guaranteed