Mason's Best Movies of 2012
What a great year in movies. So many great ones and even so many that i just enjoyed more than i thought i would. I have blog entries with more details on many of these.
1. The Impossible
They way i recommend people to see Saving Private Ryan to get a better sense of war, i would do the same for this movie to better grasp what that Tsunami must have been like. Very well made. Could have been a "disaster" but focused in on the story of one family's survival. I was truly engrossed in the characters and believed i was watching the real thing. It moved me in so many ways and i come away feeling blessed and thankful for what i have.
2. Life of Pi
I actually think this movie has themes similar to "The Impossible". Pi went through his own disaster and lost everything. He was able to see Gods hand of mercy at different moments in his life and that is what kept him hanging on. I love a movie that i can draw parallels to for my own life. This film allows the viewer to discover some deep meaning if you choose or just enjoy it for how amazingly stunning and beautiful it was.
3. Anna Karenina
I had never read the book or seen any other adaptations but from the first minute of this film i knew i would fall in love. Clever, beautiful, well acted, interesting story of what is love and incredible music. I felt like i was watching art on a big screen.
4. Les Miserables
Of all the movies in the past years, i was most excited to see this one. I loved it in so many ways. Its story, the music, the sets and acting. I was hoping it would take the spot next to my all time favorite movie The Shawshank Redemption but It didn't quite work in a couple of areas so down a few spots it went. Still very note worthy.
5. Silver Linings Playbook
What a surprise this movie was for me. A little bit quirky but deep and heartfelt too. A great take on a typical boy meets girl story. I love a good mental drama.
6. Argo
I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. Stress and anxiety for sure. Wow, i'm blown away by this story from our history. Very well acted and directed. Ben the actor…meh. Ben the director…ah yeah!
7. Beasts of the Southern Wild
Go on a journey with Hushpuppy who lived with her daddy in the bathtub. Cute, different, and wow the little girl will melt your heart. I'm glad when movies like this are made.
8. Pitch Perfect
Hahahaha. I'm still laughing at this movie. Fun, lively, and didn't take itself too seriously. This surprise hit took me by surprise and so it deserves to be on the top ten. I usually give more credit to depressing dramas but every once in a while a comedy will really surprise me by how well it works.
9. Moonrise Kingdom
Imaginative, stylistic, funny and different. I have not been the biggest fan of Wes Anderson movies but this one nailed it for me. Great visuals and unique story telling really work here. I felt like i was part of these kids' play pretend.
10. Zero Dark Thirty
As mentioned above with The Impossible, this movie helps us to get a better sense of what goes on while we go about our daily lives. Its a world i know very little about yet the film is never too complicated to follow. A film that gives us some insight into a man that has changed the way we live our lives. While i liked Hurt Locker better, this is very much worth seeing.
Honorable Mentions:
I have to give hollywood a nod of thanks for making so many movies this year with a fun halloween twist. I loved them all. The stop motion ParaNorman and Frankenweenie were highly artistic and creative and fun to watch. Laughed my head off at how clever and fast paced Hotel Transylvania was. Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter in 3D was thrilling for me. It had scares and drama and fun visuals that left me completely entertained. Thank you to Hunger Games for making a decent movie from a young adult book. I look forward to seeing how you treat the sequels. Prometheus is my kind of sic-fi. A very developed alien world style with suspense and scares. The bonus to Prometheus is that there is some very interesting religious ties as well. And lastly, Chimpanzee. So stinking cute. I wanted a giant size poster of Oscar the chip from the movie. Very well made documentary.
• Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter
• Hotel Transylvania
• ParaNorman
• FrankenWeenie
• Chimpanzee
• Prometheus
• Hunger Games
Dumb:
Wow, these movies really disappointed me.
• Lawless
What the…you were all over the place with your story telling. I had no invested interest in the characters or plot.
• Brave
Sorry pixar but you only looked really cool in this movie. Beautiful animation but very dumb, simple and forgettable. I'd rather see all of the other pixars again before i see this again. Nothing memorable about it.
• Dark Shadows
Split this movie in two. First half was pretty good. But the second half was bad and completely fell apart.
• The Vow
Of all the terrible movies this year, The Vow gets me stirred up the most. I completely checked out of this movie while in the theater. I can like a chick flick as much as a teenage girl but this was just awful. I don't care if its a true story, that doesn't make it worth watching.
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