Which movies are worth a damn?

Movies that didn't suck.

#10 (tie):  The Perks of Being a Wallflower

             This is a sort of film that builds slowly and with every layer gets better and better. It tells the tale of Charlie Kelmeckis (Logan Lerman), a freshman coming off a tough time in his life after his best friend kills himself.  He's depressed but trying to feel better and goes into his first day of High School trying to picture his last day, counting the days down as his light at the end of the tunnel.  He's befriended by the self proclaimed "island of misfit toys," High School seniors who are a hodgepodge of outsiders.  They accept him as who he is but also know that he is more than a quiet watcher (wallflower).  They inspire him to search within himself to find out what more he is.

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             I usually vomit a bit in my mouth with these types of films because I find them dull and with such affected performances that everything rings false.  I was ready to dismiss this as such but I opened my mind and gave it a shot.  Yes it's a bit too earnest and pretentious, the kind of film that actually has a tunnel in the movie to hammer home its themes, but it's also incredibly effective.  The secret sauce here is that the acting is so damn good.  Everyone is so understated that the characters draw you into their world every so slowly.  You fall in love with their group and the dynamic between them.  You care about them.  For me that was also because I related to Charlie and I suspect those of us who have been misfits in our lives will connect with Perks of Being a Wallflower more than those who have not.  Lerman as Charlie is very strong, giving a subtle performance which builds in emotion and intensity and pays off in the end without being melodramatic. 

#10 (tie):  The Impossible              

              There’s a moment in the Impossible that only lasts a few seconds right before a wave hits the Indonesian resort where our central family are vacationing that really stuck with me.  It’s a typical beautiful day.  The kids are in the pool playing with their father, Henry, while their mother Maria, is sun bathing a few feet away.  Then the birds overhead in the trees scatter and a dark shadow engulfs the entire area.  Almost immediately Henry (Ewan McGregor)and Maria (Naomi Watts) feel that something is wrong.   They don’t know what exactly but they know something is about to happen.  They all look towards each other wanting to see if the other is safe because at that moment that’s all that matters.  They lock eyes and you can imagine them at the next moment gathering the children and running towards each other to embrace but that doesn’t happen. Instead, a wave of water overtakes them and they are thrown in different directions not knowing the fate of the other.   That feeling right before the wave hits, of love for family, is what defines the film The Impossible.  It makes the story it tells simultaneously grand and simple because once you look past the extraordinary events it depicts, that of the 2004 Tsunami, the film really becomes a story of a family searching for one another because that’s what truely is important.  No matter how simple that is, it's also powerful.  The film sidesteps cheese just enough to tell an engrossing and touching true story you won't forget you watched.

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#09:  21 Jump Street

                Raunchy, hilarious, profane and ridiculous, often times all at once, 21 Jump Street is the best comedy of last year.  This is especially impressive given that it’s a remake of a cheesy 80’s TV Show and stars Channing Tatum in a comedic role.  He’s not funny but he doesn’t pretend to be.  Jonah Hill, who also produced, is smart enough to know that there's nothing sure to give you biger douchebumps than watching someone not funny try to be , so he brings Tatum along as the straight man.  It works, as Hill and Tatum’s bumbling detectives relive high school in alternate jock-geek roles to uproarious results.  

For those of us who are 10 years or so removed from that experience, the absurdity of everything once “cool” (delinquency, smoking, bullying) trading places with that which was once "uncool" (computer skills, theatre, caring) especially resonates, making it all the more hilarious;  It makes this film a surprisingly perspective satire of how the world has changed since Johnny Depp rocked the long hair and torn at-the-knees jeans in the original.  It’s fun stuff and I laughed my a** off.

#08:  Para Norman

                I admit I may have been a bit too bullish in my original review but this is still a stellar film.  The plot follows Norman a shy boy who talks to himself and doesn't fit in at school or at home.   People think he's odd which is true but there's a reason: he sees ghosts.  While that's been done, it hasn't been done in quite this way.  The film is a unique mix of horror and comedy that's also a children's film, a trick that's difficult to pull off but which it does so with ease.  

Part of the reason is that the film capitalizes on its stop motion animation; It beguilesthe audience with its innocence and simplicity to tell a tale that were it live action would certainly be too frightening for children and too odd for adults.  The result is a movie everyone can enjoy with a lot of humor and heart. 

#07:  How to Survive a Plague

            Set around the time when The Gay Community first faced a new and deadly virus, this documentary doesn't follow the tale of AIDS.  Rather, it tells the story of a well organized call-to-arms, as the gay community moved to preempt their own extermination.   This doc works on many levels:  as a lesson in the history (and danger) of homophobia,  as a study on the dysfunctionalism of local and nationwide politics, and as a look at what happens when idealism meets reality.  But most of it all, it's about the people who lived (and didn't live) through this frightening time in history.  Their courageous fight  filled with victories, defeats, setbacks and triumphs, is what we most care about and what makes this a powerful film.

#06:  Lincoln

                I don't know that a traditional biopic wouldn't have been as interesting to watch but I know it wouldn't have been as good.  By focusing on one aspect of Abraham Lincoln's political life, the fight to abolish slavery, Steven Spielberg is able to present both a riveting political drama and a nuanced human drama, which intricately explores who Lincoln was, even if it doesn't cover all he did.  Its limited scope allows it to be incredibly focused, avoiding the tendency of biopics to feel rushed and scattershot.   Credit this also to the masterful direction, witty script, and first rate performances.  Daniel Day Lewis embodies the character of Lincoln in not only appearance but in speech, mannerism and soul, delivering the year's best performance. 

This only counts as a spoiler if you haven't had a conversation with me in the past 9 months.

#5:  Zero Dark Thirty:

                It's a tremendous accomplishment when a film that everyone knows the ending to also is as suspenseful and riveting as Zero Dark Thirty.  The story, about the successful  hunt for Osama Bin Laden, began as a film about the many failed attempts to locate him before real life events forced director Kathryn Bigelow to change course.  This was the perfect outcome because the story now has a sense of closure which we absolutely need in more ways than one.  The result is as cathartic as it is masterful.  Zero Dark Thirty honors the real life heroes who tracked down the mass murder while still being an entertaining film.  It does all this without (for the most part) resorting to 24-style theatrics, the filmmakers wisely trusting that the true story is fascinating enough for the audience.   Credit goes to Bigelow's confident direction and clear grasp of the material as well as fantastic performances from everyone involved.

#4:  Wreck-It Ralph:

                The oscars split up the categories of "Best Film" and "Best Animated Film " which is bullsh**.  At one point it may not have been possible technologically to create an animated work of art that is as complex and with protagonists who display as much emotion as real life humans but that time is past.  That's why I make no distinction between animated and live action filmmaking on my "best of" lists which now includes this stellar entry.  While Wreck-It Ralph is a beautiful looking computer animated movie, it's also much more:  original, heartwarming, funny, well written, sweet and amazing. 

               The story follows the "bad guy" of an 80's pacman-style arcade game who is fed up with being treated like the BAD guy.  Ralph decides it's time for him to jump out of his game and be a real hero so that he get the accolades of being the GOOD guy. Along the way he discovers just what it really means to be a hero and if that sounds corny to you then too bad.   The film is not sappy at all which it accomplishes by not taking itself too seriously.  It makes the most out of its unique concept with jokes and sight gags about iconic 80s and 90s video game characters that go beyond geekdom;  it resonates with any of us who have picked up a joystick or controller within the last 25 years.   Very cool and very funny.

#03:  The Cabin in The Woods

                I know I'm going to get laughed at for this one but I don't care.  When I think of which films were the best in 2012, I think of which ones I was still thinking about hours, days, and months after I left the theater.  Cabin in the Woods certainly fits this bill.

                I will admit I have a soft spot in my heart for the horror genre because I grew up on it.  I saw Jason hack up teenagers with a machete and Freddy murder people with his gloves of knives in nightmares before I was even old enough to really know what was going on.  I got hooked early but I also learned early that 75% of horror movies are absolutely terrible. I know that going in and I respond accordingly with negative reviews (The Collection) or at least with reviews that fully admit that I am probably the only person who will like it (The Chernobyl Diaries). 

                The Cabin in the Woods is different.  I was immediately blown away by it because I have never seen anything like it.  I will throw in a rare kudus to previews because the coming attractions I saw told me nothing of what to expect besides teenagers dying in a cabin in the woods.  I came in with an open mind and cautiously optimistic (this being a Joss Whedon effort and me being one of his annoying fanboys).  What I experienced is a film that doesn't just transcend a regular horror film but all horror films.  That's because, much like what Scream did with slasher films in the 90's, Cabin in the Woods turns all horror films of its elk on its head while simultaneously calling out and commenting on their ridiculousness.  It doesn't do this in a snarky and annoying way like one of those "Not Another" movies, but in a way that shows it's clear respect and love for the source material. The result is a movie that works as a meta observation on all horror movies AND as an actual horror movie.  Yes, there's plenty of blood, guts, and dismemberment to still qualify as a disturbing horror flick.

                But the film doesn't stop there.  About 45 minutes in the move switches course (some would argue genre) to become something much more.  That's when the real craziness begins as you begin to discover that Cabin in the woods has been mind fuc****g you all along and you didn't even know it. 

                I've seen this movie four times.  The first by myself as I do with all horror movies I assume I'm the only one who will like.  The second time it was with my girlfriend who went only because I was raving about it so much.  She hates horror movies and she squirmed her way through this one because it ended up being about so much more than just pain and death.  The third time I was with my cousin who didn't even see the previews and had no clue what was going on.  As he watched the movie I took note of his expressions because I imagine they were similar to mine when I first watched it.  They told a story of the stages of absorption of what was happening on screen:  1.  that's weird  2.  That's funny  3.  That's scary  4.  That's bloody  5.  That's...wait, what?   6.  No way!  7.  They're not going to ...oh yes they are  8.  That's crazy   8.  That's amazing  9.  Wow.

                The fourth time I was with my friend who is scared of horror movies and who still hates me to this day for taking him to see that 13 Ghosts remake with Matthew Lillard and Tony Shalhoub because it was so frightening.....ly horrible.  I didn't get such condemnations afterwards because he, like me, knew that what he just saw was much more than just another horror movie and enjoyed the ride it took him on.  So did I, and that's why it's one of the best movies of the year.

#2:  Life Of Pi

                3D Meets Art for the first time in the beautifully crafted meditation on faith and God that is Life of Pi.  The film ostensibly tells the fantastic tale of "Pi" Patel who, after a shipwreck that kills his entire family, is stuck on a boat and must learn to survive with a Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker.  But, it's actually about much more.  "What" exactly is, I suppose, up for debate and although I passionately argued for my interpretation  in my review, I'll leave it as is for everyone to ponder. 

                What isn't debatable, however, is how well written and shot this movie is.  Using advanced 3D technology, Ang Lee (who deserves to win as best director) brings to the screen something that even 5 years ago may not have been possible.  In order of the film to work we have to not only believe that there is an actual Tiger in the middle of the ocean stranded with a boy but become emotionally connected to it.  A real tiger might not been able to do this and a less expertly created computer animated version would have been distracting, but Ang Lee succeeds in creating a life-like tiger that is also a character we come to care for.  He then enchances the experience by creating a fantastic world around them that the 3d immerses us in as colors, objects, and light come at and dance around you.  It's like an oil painting come to life and we are in the middle of it. 

                I also haven't heard enough praise for the actors who play Pi, Gautam Belur and Ayush Tandon as the 6 and 13 old versions who develop the heart of the character, and then Suraj Sharma and Irrfan Khan as the 16 year old and adult version of Pi who develop his soul.  

#1:  The Avengers

                A little over two years ago Robert Downey Jr. was at Comic-Con with his super hero brethren to promote Marvel and he made a comment about just having watched the film Inception.  He called it amazing and incredibly ambitious but he said that was nothing compared to what was to come.  The Avengers, he declared boldly, would be the most ambitious film ever produced. 

                Tony Stark was right.

                The Avengers is a film I never thought I'd see on screen and it's absolutely glorious.  Part of what makes it so amazing is everything that went into making it happen. The incredible feat that the mastermind of Marvel films Kevin Feige pulled off cannot be over stated;  It's the culmination of years of planning.   First. they introduced superheores with various degrees of popularity in their own individual films (Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America).   If any of one of them were failures that would have put the kibosh on any future team up.  That's not what happened of course and while the films range in quality, they were all very entertaining and accomplished the goal of allowing us to get to know and like each character in their own environment.  At the same time they interconnected their worlds letting it be known that they shared a universe and that one day that universe would collide.  The Avengers is that collision and just like the best collisions, it's awesome.

                But I'm not praising the film just because it took so much to get it done. No, sir.  If I correlated sheer amount of prep work to a positive review than my favorite film would be Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace.  No, The Avengers is an amazing film on its own.  The credit here goes first and foremost to Joss Whedon who had the herculean task of bringing the disparate worlds and voices of the many different superheroes together and making it work.  He did this with an skillfully crafted screenplay that has just the right balance of action, character development,  suspense and heart. 

                Oh and it is also unbelievably funny.  The humor comes from the best place: in the interactions between the characters.   This allows for character development while at the same time we get the mash ups we have been waiting for.  Iron Man vs. Thor?  Check.  Tony Starks mercilessly teases Thor for his Shakespearean theatrics and Thor beats his chest and proclaims superiority over the "metal man." This makes it all the more poignant when Tony has to finally start to take things seriously and Thor has to be reminded again that might does not make right.  Iron Man Vs. Captain America?  Check, but it's even better than that because it's more Tony Stark vs. Steve Rogers, each of whom has a very different viewpoint about commitment and loyalty.  Their exchange where Rogers calls Stark rich but being worth nothing, and Stark calls Rogers a naive laboratory experiment is absolutely riveting.  And all they're doing is talking.  

Joss Whedon understands the team dynamic is what we came to see and he plays off of it, giving us a fantastic story that at its heart is still very much grounded:  it's  about how a group of people look past their differences to come together as a team.

                Let's also take a moment to commend the performances.  Usually the best you can hope for in an action movie is that the acting is not distracting but here everyone is first rate.  There are no weak players and while independently everyone is great, together they are fantastic.  It's very the story of the whole being (even) greater than the sum of its parts.  Special recognition goes to Tom Middleton as Loki who has to take on all the avengers individually and collectively, and still steals scenes.  He's evil and nasty in just the right way and has a lot of fun with the role.

                The Avengers is the best film of the year for it's ambition, preparation and execution.  It's a film that I've seen 8 times because it does what all of the best films do:  transport me to a time a place that exists outside of my own reality and for 2 and half hours captures my imagination absolutely to create an experience that leaves me awe-inspired.  A-mazing.