Top 10 (Now 11) Films of 2012

It’s that time of year again where all your favorite movie websites, cinephile friends, and film journalists start posting their flashy year-end lists. After narrowing it down from 13 titles, below are my 10 Favorite Films of 2012. I know it’s early and there are a few big films that haven’t been released yet. And I’m certain at least one is going to be unchained and awesome, but these are the films I’ve seen over and over this year (as much as possible, anyway.) There are some big, bad studio movies on here, but the independent ones dominate it. They are the reason why my heart beats. I want to shout about these films on top of a mountain, then get ice cream and watch all of them back-to-back.

Collectively, these films have a cabin with tricks up its sleeves, game-changing fight scenes, young alcoholics, time traveling assassins, a mother’s undying love for her son with Down syndrome, Avenging superheros, The Bathtub, sleepwalking comedians, Denis Lavant at his best, and a rich 35-year-old bum. All of these rolled with the punches and moved me in one way or another. This is perhaps my favorite Favorite list that I’ve ever compiled. Enjoy.

(Note: these are in no particular order.)

(Note #2: Adding OSLO, AUGUST 31ST to this list. I put it on my Top 10 last year (Best Undistributed FIlm) but just remembered it finally got picked up this year. OSLO deserves the recognition more than most films currently getting attention. Watch the trailer HERE.)

THE RAID - REVIEW - TRAILER

THE CABIN IN THE WOODS - (Skip the trailer and see it without a hint.)

LOOPER - TRAILER - INTERVIEW

SMASHED - REVIEW - TRAILER

CAFÉ DE FLORE - TRAILER

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD - TRAILER - INTERVIEW

SLEEPWALK WITH ME - REVIEW - TRAILER - INTERVIEW

THE AVENGERS

HOLY MOTORS - REVIEW - TRAILER

THE COMEDY - REVIEW

Favorite Festival Movie Unreleased in 2012

THE LAST ELVIS - TRAILER (Spanish, no subtitles)

Review: SMASHED Offers a Sobering Look at a Young Alcoholic

Young and in love, married couple Kate and Charlie Hannah like to get smashed. Like GG-Allin-meeting-your-Christian-parents smashed, someone is going to vomit and piss themselves at some point in the night. They spend their days in bars getting drunk and nights having unconscious sex. The good life, right?

Things change, however, when schoolteacher Kate — Mary Elizabeth Winstead in a knockout career performance — throws up in the middle of class from sipping too much whiskey before entering the building one morning. The crack she smoked for the first time while being black-out drunk the night before may have also played a part.

When questioned by school authorities, Kate tells them she’s pregnant, and now must sober up and figure out how to extricate herself from this unfortunate lie. With help of the school’s vice principal, Dave (Nick Offerman, who says his most awkward line in his career ever) and newfound friend Jenny (the always wonderful Octavia Spencer), Kate decides to get sober. She begins to clean up, and her marriage to Charlie (Aaron Paul) is put to the ultimate test as he continues his efforts to hit the bottle as hard as he can. She’s a work-in-progress and he’s a train-wreck just waiting to happen.

Alcohol addiction is no laughing matter, but co-writer/director James Ponsoldt transforms this disease into an honest, somber, and often good-humored story. Being a guy who’s butted heads with alcohol, I can see Ponsoldt understands that even with living a great life, even with being super happy, alcohol often sneaks up, takes control, and sends your life spiraling in all kinds of horrifying directions, completely out of control. It’s like being damned to listen only to Michael Bolton for all eternity; nobody wants that.

With that being said, this is a light-hearted yet bracingly real look at a young alcoholic, driven by a strong lead we can relate to and care for during the awkward, sad, and hilarious moments when she’s desperately trying to take control. Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World) is absolutely terrific. She simply gets it. She gets the rigid and painful experience of giving up something that was once so fun and innocent. Winstead was born to be a star.

Most films dealing with booze-loving people tend to cast older actors, but Smashed catches the disease at its most youthful, absent-minded stage, the mid-twenties. Ponsoldt paints the dangerous-but-oh-so-fun portrait of a drunk woman trying to better herself, and it’s smashing.

(Review originally published during the Sundance Film Festival in January 2012. The film opens in limited theatrical release in the U.S. on Friday, October 12.)

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Originally Published on Twitch FIlm.

SUNDANCE 2012 REVIEW: SMASHED IS A COMPELLING LOOK AT THE AWKWARD SIDE OF FACING SOBRIETY

Young and in love, married couple Kate and Charlie Hannah like to get smashed. Like GG-Allin-meeting-your-Christian-parents smashed, someone is going to vomit and piss themselves at some point in the night. They spend their days in bars getting drunk and nights having unconscious sex. The good life, right? 

Things change, however, when Kate - Mary Elizabeth Winstead in a knockout career performance - a school teacher, throws up in the middle of class from sipping too much whiskey before entering the building one morning. The crack she smoked for the first time while being black out drunk the night before may have also played a part.

When question by school authorities Kate tells them she’s pregnant and now must sober up and figure out how to get out of this unfortunate lie. With help of the school’s vice principal, Dave - Nick Offerman, who says his most awkward line in his career ever - and newfound friend Jenny - the always wonderful Octavia Spencer - Kate decides to get sober. She begins to clean up and her marriage to Charlie (Aaron Paul) is put the ultimate test as he continues his efforts to hitting the bottle as hard as he can. She’s a work in progress and he’s a train-wreck just waiting to happen.

Alcohol addiction is no laughing matter but co-writer/director James Ponsoldt transforms this disease into an honest, somber, and often good-humored story. Being a guy who’s butted heads with alcohol, I can see Ponsoldt understands that even with living a great life, even with being super happy, alcohol often sneaks up, takes control, and sends your life spiraling in all kinds of horrifying directions, completely out of control. It’s like being damned to only listen to Michael Bolton for all eternity - nobody wants that.

With that being said that this is a light-hearted and real look at a young alcoholic, driven by a strong lead we can relate to and care for during the awkward, sad, and hilarious moments when she’s desperately trying to take control. Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World) is absolutely terrific. She simply gets it. She gets the rigid and painful experience of giving up something that was once so fun and innocent. Winstead was born to be a star. 

Most films dealing with booze-loving people tend to have their actors a lot older, but Smashed catches it at its most youthful, the absent-minded stage, the mid-twenties. Ponsoldt paints the dangerous-but-oh-so-fun portrait of a drunk woman trying to better herself and it’s smashing. 

Source: Twitch Film