The Best Films of 2012

An
Iranian uproar cooled by Hollywood fakery, a failed boy scout on the hunt for
true love, fast food friction, the true price of greed, the slaughter of
reality show stars, the quest to bring Osama bin Laden to justice, positive
thinking put to the ultimate test, shaken and stirred, a mechanical best friend,
and a visit to a nightmare factory via the woods. These are the best films of
2012.

Moonrise
Kingdom (review)

With
“Moonrise Kingdom,” writer/director Wes Anderson once again proves his
excellence with stylized stories of longing and family. A beautiful ode to
young adult fiction and the rough and tumble world of the boy scouts, the
feature is stunningly photographed, masterfully designed with a pronounced
Anderson fingerprint, and charmingly acted by the gifted ensemble. Anderson has
developed into a formidable force of idiosyncrasy, making specific movies for a
specific audience, in the vein of Woody Allen and Robert Altman. With “Moonrise
Kingdom,” Anderson strikes a particularly irresistible balance between whimsy
and adolescent wonder, spiked with a shot of deadpan humor and period fetishism
that’s mesmerizing, creating a distinct identity (and spotless filmography)
that’s impossible to resist.

Argo (review)

Ben
Affleck’s name was once synonymous with embarrassing tabloid headlines and
mediocre movies. Today, he’s one of the finest directors around. After the
Massachusetts misery of “Gone Baby Gone” and “The Town,” Affleck goes global
and period with “Argo,” a sublimely tilted thriller that combines knowing
Hollywood satire with nail-biting political unrest, generating a hostage drama
that somehow remained unpredictable, despite its true story stamp. Smartly
executed and generous with unbearable suspense, “Argo” brings Affleck the
filmmaker (Affleck the actor is equally as persuasive) into clear view, continuing
his astonishing career reinvention.

Silver
Linings Playbook (review)

Writer/director
David O. Russell captures the electricity of thought in “Silver Linings
Playbook,” his ode to manic love and profound obsession, based on the novel by
Matthew Quick. The feature’s balance of euphoria and distress is simply
masterful, with Russell investing in character to pull off complex breakdown
scenes and itchy familial dynamics. It’s an open wound of a film, though
mindful of inaccessibility, dishing up audience-pleasing moments of dance floor
release and tender human connection that are well-earned by Russell and his
sublime dedication to the quaking power of positive thinking. 

Zero
Dark Thirty

Kathryn
Bigelow’s barnstorming take on the manhunt for Osama bin Laden is a rich
tapestry of suspense, frustration, and intricate plotting, resulting in a
sophisticated picture that’s bravely determined to inspect the underbelly of
anti-terrorism efforts while sustaining a riveting political and emotional
tension. Anchored by Jessica Chastain’s fierce work as the shell-shocked woman
determined to bring bin Laden down, “Zero Dark Thirty” truly belongs to its
gifted director, who brings a hauntingly thunderous quality to a story largely
concerned with meetings and theories. It’s a masterfully crafted movie with an
unexpectedly relentless pace.  

Skyfall (review)

For
a franchise that’s been burning bright for 50 years now, the four-year gap
between Daniel Craig adventures was enormous for fans of James Bond. “Skyfall”
proves the delay was worth the wait. Genuinely epic, raw, and superbly crafted
by director Sam Mendes, “Skyfall” provides Craig with his finest outing yet as
the iconic character, while returning the series back to its roots of suave heroism
and grand villainy. It’s always a treat to have Bond around, but when the
results are this thrilling, it’s easy to get excited for the next 50 years of
007 activity. 

God
Bless America (review)

Aiming
for controversy, writer/director Bobcat Goldthwait achieves his goal with this
violent comic fantasy. Confidently constructed with a brave tone of darkness to
support its clearly satirical foundation, Goldthwait pulls off an amazing
balance between horror and laughs, refusing to cop-out as this askew tale of
friendship, pop culture disgust, and revenge makes its way to its triumphantly
bonkers finale. It’s not a film for all tastes, and perhaps not an effort to
cheer on as the U.S. deals with unimaginable tragedies involving firearms, but
as caustic, gonzo entertainment goes for 2012, “God Bless America” was as close
to authentically dangerous as it got, sold with a pronounced wink and an itchy
trigger finger.

The
Cabin in the Woods (review)

“The
Cabin in the Woods” isn’t exactly a horror film, but it’s not a comedy. It’s
something of a satire, but also a celebration. That the picture is largely
indescribable is part of its charm, asking typically finicky genre fans to take
a chance on this cheeky, violent thrill ride, near-brilliantly designed by
screenwriters Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard (who also directs), who twist their
adoration for all things nightmarish and clichéd into a loving ode to the traditional
fright feature. “The Cabin in the Woods” is genuinely exciting moviemaking in a
genre that’s usually half-asleep, best accepted with an open mind, an avoidance
of spoilers, and an appetite for superlatively blood-soaked chicanery.

Robot & Frank (review)

“Robot
& Frank” emerges from unexpected directions, fusing together sobering
dramatics surrounding the difficulties of aging and family management with a
mildly futuristic tale of a man and his robot and the mischief they cause. Led
by Frank Langella’s best work in ages, “Robot & Frank” captures an ideal tonal
balance and sense of humanity as it goes about its strange business, with
director Jake Schreier delicately shaping a surprising picture with a hearty
sense of humor and a tough sense of realism in the midst of all the intriguing futureworld
ornamentation and cultural warnings.

The
Queen of Versailles (review)

2012’s
best documentary supplies a potent message on the dangers of greed and the
cheap thrills of excess. The world of David Siegel and his trophy wife, the
unforgettable Jackie, is ideal fodder for a screen exploration, with director
Lauren Greenfield handed access to the crumbling of a timeshare empire, the
divide of a marriage, and the panic of destitution. “The Queen of Versailles”
avoids cheap jokes to paint a disturbing portrait of unimaginable wealth taken
to absurd extremes, with the journey articulated by the subjects themselves,
who eagerly share their secrets and fears with Greenfield. It’s sickening yet
highly amusing, moving beyond easy schadenfreude to capture the shock of the
2008 economic collapse in slow motion.

Compliance (review)

Rare
is the film that causes genuine outrage inside a movie theater, where ticket
buyers are compelled to yell at the screen and huff with disgust throughout the
presentation. Leave it to “Compliance,” a picture about a real life prank call
turned into a marathon of manipulation and humiliation, to pull an instinctual
reaction out of typically subdued, popcorn-gobbling masses. An unusual odyssey
of evil and gullibility that’s almost entirely rooted in fact, director Craig
Zobel’s escalation of mischief and misconduct is exquisitely managed, with remarkable
tension and a searing understanding of minimum-wage workplace behavior.
Volcanic post-screening conversation is guaranteed with this one.

Also of note: Jiro Dreams of Sushi, The Secret
World of Arrietty, The Loved Ones, Quartet, The Bay, Room 237, Liberal Arts, Dredd,
Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, The Impossible, Father’s Day, Wreck-it
Ralph, This is 40, Headhunters, Boy, Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry, Goon, Les Miserables, Flight, and The Dark Knight Rises.