MY TOP 12 OF 2012!

 It's that time of year again, where we reflect on the movies that meant the most to us. This was a special year in film, in that I rarely saw a bad one... and I see loads of them. This year was so strong it reminded me of the summer of 89 in which we had Batman, Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade, Star Trek, Lethal Weapon 2 and a film named The Abyss by a fella named James Cameron. That was a very geek-tastic summer. 2012 was the equal, maybe even surpassing it. It was tough choosing my 12 favorite films this year. Many great films had to be left off the list.

These are the 12 films which moved me in 2012. Why 12? The answer will always be the same. There are 12 months in a year, thus I choose one great film you can watch per month for a total of 12 awesome slices of entertainment. Here. We. Go.

12) THE AVENGERS

Joss Whedon managed to do what no one thought was possible: Take several characters who were introduced in other films and bring them together to form a cohesive whole. He made history. The impossible became possible. He made a flat one-note character like HULK shine. Of course, the always extraordinary Mark Ruffalo helped. Could the plot have been less generic? Yes. But the final battle when everyone came together was a candy store for your eyes. I had a huge smile on my face as The Avengers stomped on Loki and his alien horde. Very much looking forward to Thanos in the forthcoming sequel. Now that's an adversary worthy of earth's mightiest heroes.

 

11) SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

 Mental illness is a serious subject. It's not to be trifled with or ridiculed. SILVER LININGS is about two depressed people who come together and ultimately help each other become the best version of themselves. Bradley Cooper gives a career best performance as a hot-headed Italian. He's an infuriating powder keg of emotion. He's sweet, he's smart, he's scary. He's all this, sometimes in the same breath. The moment when he revealed that he lived most of his life not knowing he had manic depression and had to deal with it without the proper tools is heart-breaking. Great stuff. As for Jennifer Lawrence, she's a luminescent acting prodigy who has many years of Oscar parties to attend. She's wildly inappropriate, controlling and sexy as hell. Deniro hasn't been this good since... I can't remember. He's an OCD gambler who loves his son almost as much as he loves football. Watching these damaged souls bump into each other is David O. Russell's specialty. This could've easily devolved into smaltz but damn if I wasn't rooting for Bradley and Jennifer too win the dance competition and live happily ever after. A good-hearted movie that warmed mine.

10) PROMETHEUS

 From the opening frames of a white giant (the Engineer) walking across a jagged mountain cliff and dissolving himself into the churning ocean below I knew I would love this film... despite the many plot holes that riddled Prometheus. This was one of the most visually stunning movies I saw in IMAX 3D. Sir Ridley Scott gets a free pass because his movies continue to influence and innovate. His grand ambition dwarfed the inclusion of idiotic scientists who sometimes made really stupid decisions. But damn, if I wasn't entranced by the whole film. It was breathtaking. I dare you to name a more visceral, frightening sequence on film this year than the self-abortion. Worth the price of admission alone. Scott wields light and imagery like a ninja and I can't wait for his next foray into the future. As long as Sir Ridley keeps working at this level, filmmaking will benefit.

9) THE HOBBIT

 
You owe it to yourself to see this film in IMAX HFR (High Frame Rate) aka 48fps (frames per second) aka the clearest most detailed movie I've ever seen. This is the future of epic film making. Were some of the movements jerky? Yup. Did it take me about 30 minutes to adjust to the unparalleled clarity? You betcha. Watching THE HOBBIT in HFR was initially jarring. Especially the opening scenes that were lit with rust and yellow tones. They almost looked like porn or soap quality. But once we went into the blue tones the film kicked in and it looked magnificent. This was the most visually stunning film I saw on the big screen. The detail on the Gollum and the Pale Orc was next level stuff. It was great to see Gandalf on the big screen again. Freeman was a great, sympathetic Bilbo. It was a non-stop action, adventure story that plastered a huge smile on my face.

8) SAVAGES

Oliver Stone continues to make slick, sexy, daring movies like nobody else's business. Critics maligned this movie for it's have-your-cake-and-eat-to-ending but it's pure Oliver Stone toying with his audience, as he's been so deftly doing for the past 25 years. This movie was more vibrant and alive than most films made by directors half his age. Taylor Kitch is great in it. He's stoic thunder. Lively pops off the screen, a siren that can entrance not one but two alpha males. Benicio brings the big sleaze and it leaves a nasty stain on the big screen. He's awesomely creepy as a brutal hitman. Travolta and Hayek clearly relish playing in the sleaze sandbox, as well. Both are great and up for the task. This is a lurid, pulpy film that was too much for critics too handle. But it hit me just right, with it's easy California lifestyle mixed with buckets of blood. One of the best surprises of the year.

7) END OF WATCH

I'm a huge TRAINING DAY fan and when David Ayer decided to delve deeper into that world my interest was stoked. Everyone is saying that END OF WATCH is a buddy cop film. I agree, on the surface it is. But what this film is truly about is the changing of the guard on the mean streets of Los Angeles from African American gangs to the ruthless Mexican Cartels. Gone are the days of Boys in The Hoods and Menace II Society. Mexican Gangs rule the streets of Los Angeles and they operate on a completely different level. It's a new regime that has no compunctions about filling a house with severed heads and torsos. It's dark, grisly stuff and End of Watch doesn't shy away from it. Gyllenhall gives a career best performance. Pena is solid as usual. This is the pitch black, dark-hearted movie of the year. More so because it brings you into the intimate lives of the two cops who you grow to love and then sets the animals in the streets who pretend to humans upon them. Riveting. Powerful. See it. 

6) DJANGO UNCHAINED

I have a great fondness for Quentin Tarantino. He's one of the few filmmakers who has yet to make a mediocre film. Django stayed with me for days after seeing it. Not because of the clever banter, or great reversals and solid screenplay. It imprinted on me because it brings images of slavery, which I had only read about in high-school to life in a brutal, ugly manner. I can't believe slavery happened less than a 150 years ago. This is an important film that blasts open old wounds and then goes about getting it's own brand of restitution. Seeing Django wipe out an entire slave plantation was as thrilling as seeing a group of Inglorious Basterds shred Hitler with bullets. This movie was a long time coming. What can I say about Christophe Waltz. He's a master class actor. His delivery of words in his mellifluous accent is poetry. Pure and simple. Foxx sears a lifetime of pain into our hearts with his every glance. And Samuel L. Jackson is the worst black motherf-cker in the history of film. A betraying, Uncle Tom, step-and-fetcher that is more concerned with keeping his place on the plantation by his master's side than helping his own race. Jackson is amazing and deserves Oscar recognition. As does Leo Dicaprio and his dirty, stained teeth. Watching Leo play against type, dirty himself up and play a devilish scoundrel is one of the many joys of seeing this very smart, confident and thrilling piece of high-grade entertainment. 

5) ZERO DARK THIRTY

The greatest detective story of our time. This film is about work, vision and perseverance. Hard work isn't glamorous. The results are glamorous. But real hard work. Keeping at something when the world laughs at you. Ridicules you. That's hard. It's shitty and lonely. Maya (the girl who nailed Bin Laden and I LOVE that a girl nailed this monster. Consider the irony for a moment if you will) stayed on Bin Laden's trail for 10 years. 10 YEARS! While everyone around her said she was crazy. This is what separates greatness from mediocrity. She never let go. The scene when they ask her what is the probability that Bin Laden is hidden in the compound, she looks at Leon Panetta (awesome Gandolfini) in the face and tells him 100%. No uncertainty in her eyes. Just steel. Jessica Chastain will win the Oscar for that moment alone. The attack on Bin Laden's compound is filmed in such a matter-of-fact way. It's not bombastic. Seal Team 6 go in there and casually put bullets in bad guys in such an understated manner that it seems like another day at the office for them. Even if that day involves accidentally crashing a chopper and killing public enemy number 1. This movie defies expectations at every turn. It's smart. It doesn't pander. It doesn't manipulate. It presents brutal torture as an ugly fact. It doesn't try to make up your mind... that's your job. The best procedural film ever made. If I was a betting man, this will win the Best Film of the Year come Oscar Night. Zero Dark Hurry-up and go see it.

4) CHRONICLE

Chronicle caught me off guard. I'm a superhero nerd. Always have been. Always will be. Watching these young punks acquire abilities I would dream of as a kid was one of the most thrilling movie going experiences of the year. CHRONICLE asks the central question: "What would you do if you suddenly became Superman?" The answer in our iERA scares the living shit out of me. We live in a world of profit margins, fiscal cliffs and lone lunatics with a propensity for violence. I very much doubt that people who suddenly developed superpowers would go the way of heroism. They would become what Dane DeHaan became in CHRONICLE. A twisted, gnarled, angry God that needed to be stopped at all costs. Dehaan gives an extraordinary performance. This is a star-maker role. Look for him in the near future to explode. This is the first film to actually do something interesting with the found-footage scenario. We get views from multiple cameras and it genuinely works in the film. I loved every minute of this film and hope that a worthy sequel is in the works.

3) LOOPER

 What would you say to your younger self if you could go back in time? What advice would you give yourself? This is the central question of Rian Johnson's masterful time travel film LOOPER. Bruce Willis is so vibrant and badass in this film. Such a great nuanced performance. Jo Gordon-Levitt has the best year in his life with this film and The Dark Knight Rises. He's great beneath all the latex. It's a film that will surprise you at every turn. I'm gonna be vague with this one because many people haven't seen it yet. The film becomes especially surprising as we arrive at a quiet farm in the 3rd Act. The movie morph's into a treatise on fate and destiny. The kid in the film gives the best kid performance since Henry Thomas in E.T. Amazing stuff. The ending broke my heart but really, there was no other way for LOOPER to end. A great film and one of my very favorite of the year. A must see.

2) THE GREY

Once more into the fray. Live and Die on this day. The Grey was almost my number one movie of the year. It was beaten by another tortured soul who we will talk about in the next paragraph. Joe Carnahan's masterwork THE GREY gut-punched me so hard when I saw it on the big screen. This felt like a very personal film for Liam Neeson. It felt like every moment Neeson reflected upon his past cut right through him leaving a bloody streak on his heart. Liam Neeson MUST receive an Oscar nomination for his performance. The moment he defies God in the forest, admonishing the Lord "To Prove it!" --shook me to my core. I'm pretty sure you know after seeing the movie which side Neeson falls on when it comes to God. This film makes you re-examine your core beliefs and makes you appreciate those you love. I loved THE GREY. One of the films which resonated deeply with me this year. THE GREY is a profound and moving cinematic experience.

1) THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Was there ever any doubt THE DARK KNIGHT RISES would be my top film of 2012? Christopher Nolan is the Stanley Kubrick of popular entertainment. A master at the top of his game, with a meticulous visual language, who laces his films with powerful subtext. TDKR is about many things but first and foremost it's the BRUCE WAYNE story. In fact, the final film of the Dark Knight trilogy could've easily been called BRUCE WAYNE BEGINS. I can give you many detailed reasons why I loved this film. I could talk and write about it all day long. But I won't. Those who know me, know why I love this character so much. Nolan was brilliant in that he amplified the story of the damaged orphan and surrounded him with 4 other fractured orphans: Selina, Talia, John Blake and Bane. In the end, each of these tortured souls worked their way through the pain of abandonment in their own specific ways. Seeing the most adjusted orphan, Robin John Blake rising on that platform in the Batcave still gives me chills. Batman telling Jim Gordon that "a hero can be anyone, even someone who puts a coat on a kid and tells him the world hasn't ended"-- still brings tears to my eyes. Seeing Bruce Wayne get his happily ever after is the greatest surprise of the year in cinema. The final 20 minutes of TDKR are the finest moments in any film this year. Everyone expected Bruce to die. The spector of death hung heavy throughout the film. Watching Bruce be happy for the first time in his life gave me hope that even the darkest lives can be redeemed. This is a great message for our times. A message we need. A message we deserve.
 

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

CLOUD ATLAS: The Wachowski's are brave. They wore their hearts on their sleeves and were lambasted by the cold-hearts which permeate our world. This is the most ambitious film of the year. It's emotional and beautiful and demands multiple viewings to appreciate.

THE IMPOSSIBLE: Critics gave this film static because it focused on a white affluent family instead of the residents of Thailand who perished. But it WAS about a white family! Watts and Ewan give great performances and I have to say this film brought tears to my eyes many times. As a parent there's nothing scarier than losing your kids in the storm of the century.

GOON: One of the best hockey movies ever made. Sean William Scott finally sheds Stifler's skin and shows us he has a soul. Goon was a great surprise and has a high rewatchability value.

JACK REACHER: Tom Cruise in badass mode. What's not to like? Great time at the movies, can't wait to see Reacher again on the big screen.

KLOWN: This film from Norway makes The Hangover look like a sleepover. Hilarious, inappropriate, and the best comedy of the year.

ARGO: Ben Affleck is incapable of making a bad film. I've loved every one of his films. Argo is tense, riveting and well-directed. One of the best of the year.

Happy New Year!

Your Friend,

D.

THOUGHTS ON THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

 I saw THE DARK KNIGHT RISES a week before the tragedy in Aurora. I saw the film with untainted, innocent geek eyes and hope in my heart. I saw it in the best possible circumstances on the WB lot... the place where they actually produced the film. I wish every Bat-fan could've seen the final Bat-Film in the Nolan trilogy under such great circumstances. I won't talk about the tragedy and I won't rehash the plot of the film. Plenty of other sites have taken care of this. I want to talk about segments, moments & images that affected me. Thus, heavy SPOILERS from here on out for the uninitiated...

 THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is simply the best superhero film ever made. In terms of pure emotion it topples THE DARK KNIGHT and BATMAN BEGINS (which were both amazing in their own respect). Christopher Nolan has crafted the perfect Superhero trilogy... and maybe the best trilogy of all time. The three themes that Nolan laced throughout the trilogy are: Legacy, Myth-making, and Death. The pallor of death hangs over this film like an albatross pressing down on your back. You really get the impression that you're watching the last Batman film the world will ever see and that anyone can die at any time... just like real life.

 In Batman Begins, Bruce wants to create a symbol that will inspire the citizens of Gotham to be better. To be heroic in the face of crime and inequality. It seems like a hopeless quest. But in the end, when Batman sacrifices himself by flying the Fusion bomb into the sea while Gotham watches it explode in an atomic mushroom cloud... well this very act serves as a catalyst of inspiration for not only Gotham but the World. The final moment right before the atomic explosion we get a close-up shot of Batman's face in the cockpit of the Batwing. He's at peace. You see, Bruce Wayne was dead since Batman Begins. He's been courting death ever since he slipped on the cowl. In the Dark Knight Rises, Alfred pleads with Bruce to let go of his demons and choose life. Alfred tells Bruce of a recurring dream he has in which he goes to a Cafe in Florence and orders a Fernet Branca and sitting at another table he sees Bruce Wayne with a Wife and Family.

A moment later, Alfred tells Bruce the truth about Rachel in an attempt to shake Bruce into consciousness. Instead, Bruce tells Alfred that he's fired. This scene broke my heart into pieces. Bruce is alone in this film. And Bale gives the finest Bruce Wayne performance of his life.

 Let's talk about Bane. His voice, his body, his costume, everything about him is hypnotic. He is brute force & death incarnate. A nightmare creation. The scene where Batman is duped by Catwoman into a deathtrap beneath the sewers to face Bane is astonishing in it's cruelty. I felt so sorry for Batman, as every punch, every move was telegraphed by Bane. Batman tried his parlor tricks: The EMP that knocks out the lights, flashbangs, but Bane was born in darkness, which made him unstoppable. The manner in which Bane pulverizes Batman is heart-wrenching. The smashing of Batman's face/mask by Bane's relentless punches made me wince and reminded me of Gaspar Noe's IRREVERSIBLE in which a man's face is viciously caved in by a fire extinguisher. Seeing Batman so soundly beaten gave me a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomach.  And the shot of Bane breaking Batman's back will be seared into my mind forever.

 The look on Catwoman's face, as she watches Batman get dismantled by Bane was pure Selina. Caught in the middle and always looking out for herself, Catwoman is caught off guard by her own emotions, as she feels something strange: Remorse. This would be the first step in her journey towards redemption. Hathaway was a huge surprise as Selina Kyle. She looked great in the suit but nobody could've predicted what a nuanced performance she would give. She went from Damsel in distress to kickass warrior in the blink of an eye. The best Catwoman ever committed to the big screen.

 Bane's plan: Many people are confused by Bane's motivation. It's really quite simple. Whereas Joker wanted to watch the world burn, for Bane-- it's personal. He wants to break Batman's body and soul. Batman's legacy is to inspire people. To create a symbol that will outlive him. It's not enough for Bane to break Batman's body, Bane also wants to destroy Batman's legacy. Bane wants Batman to watch from his prison cell, as Gotham's citizens cower in fear instead of rise. Once Gotham is reduced to ashes, Bane will have broken Batman's spirit... which I believe to be the primary goal of Bane and Talia's plan. Both Talia Al Ghul (Miranda Tate) and Bane want to destroy the symbol of Batman. They want to tarnish the myth and destroy Batman's legacy.

The prison pit in the "old part of the world" is basically Nolan's version of the Lazarus pit. Bruce is imprisoned in the pit by Bane after his vicious beating. Bruce must watch from a distance, as his city is destroyed. The open ceiling in the inescapable pit is meant to provide him with false hope, just as Gotham's citizens are given false hope that Bane won't detonate the Fusion Bomb. Bruce, who had a deathwish since Batman Begins finally "finds his fear" in the pit. Only when Bruce fears death again and appreciates life does he find the strength to RISE out of the prison and return to save Gotham.

As for the critics who wondered how Bruce returned to Gotham after escaping the prison... You have to assume that the smartest man in the world has bank accounts and secret hideouts all over the world. I don't think the Dark Knight Detective would have much trouble sneaking back into a quarantined Gotham.

Let's talk about the the Glorious Ending of THE DARK KNIGHT RISES. Batman does indeed return to a war-torn Gotham that has been cut off from the rest of the world. Bane rules with an iron fist. People hide in their homes. The police force is crippled and trapped in the sewers beneath Gotham.

With the help of Catwoman, Jim Gordon and young Officer John Blake Batman inspires the Gotham Police force to rise against Bane's thugs on the steps of city hall. Batman defeats Bane only to be betrayed by Talia who stabs him with the slow knife that cuts deepest.

This leads to one of my favorite moments in the film. A wounded Batman takes control of the Atomic Bomb. He kisses Selina and gets into his Batwing that is now carrying the bomb which is counting down. Before he takes off, Gordon asks Batman who he is. Gotham will never know who the hero who saved Gotham is?! Batman answers the following:
 

 We flashback and see a young Gordon put his coat around the shoulders of a crying 8 yr old Bruce Wayne. This moment still gives me shivers, as Gordon realizes Batman is Bruce Wayne. Jim, Catwoman and John Blake watch, as Batman flies off into the distance and the bomb detonates. Batman is dead. At this point I was trying real hard not to cry and failing miserably.

Then one of the best montages in cinematic history begins. We watch as a statue of Batman is unveiled. A tribute to Gotham's Dark Knight who sacrificed his life for the citizens of Gotham. We cut to Jim Gordon, Lucius Fox, John Blake and Alfred in front of the grave of Bruce Wayne, which is beside the graves of his parents. Gordon reads a passage from a Tale Of Two Cities. Alfred breaks down lamenting: "I failed you." It was Alfred's responsibility to watch over Bruce and now he's dead. This scene destroyed me.

Then we cut to John Blake at the reading of Bruce Wayne's will. Blake inherits a gym bag. When he goes to retrieve it, the person at Waynecorp needs his full ID... which reads: ROBIN JOHN BLAKE! I nearly stood up and cheered. After years of swearing we would see no Robin in his films, Christopher Nolan pulled a Prestige on us. He fooled us. I lost my mind at this point. The definitive Batman trilogy needed a Robin. Robin has been a part of the Batman universe since 1940. Nolan nailed it. Looking back on the film you realize that you're watching Robin in action. The way he springs into action to save an injured Gordon who is about to be assassinated at the hospital. The way he selflessly tries to save the orphaned children. His disdain for guns after shooting two thugs. We were watching Robin without knowing it the whole time! Utterly brilliant. 

 We then cut to Alfred. On Vacation in Florence. He sits at a cafe and sees a familiar face a few tables away-- a smiling Bruce Wayne with Selina Kyle. Bruce is alive! Bruce gets his happily ever after. After all those years of torment Bruce Wayne gets the ending he deserved. He gave so much to Gotham and to see him smile and happy warmed my heart. Beautiful moment. As for those wondering how Alfred tracked Bruce down? Pay close attention because Selina is wearing Bruce's mom's pearls. The same pearls that have a tracking device in them.

We then cut to Jim Gordon on the GCPD rooftop. The Bat-Signal is repaired and Gordon smiles, realizing Batman is still alive. And then my favorite moment. The moment that still gives me goosebumps. Robin with the help of a GPS system he found in the gym bag, swings into the batcave via the waterfall. He lights a flare just like Bruce Wayne did all those years ago in Batman Begins.

 A swarm of bats swirls around Robin... echoing Bruce's experience in Batman Begins. And then...

The floor beneath Robin begins to RISE. The Rising platform revealing the Batcave and the Bat-uniform. We realize that THE DARK KNIGHT RISES is not a franchise ender but a franchise starter.

 As the platform rises, the screen goes black and the title appears: THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

Absolutely magnificent ending.

A few thoughts on the biggest surprise of the film: The Inclusion of Robin. What I loved is that Robin John Blake is an amalgamation of the 3 Robin's in the comic book universe. He's a good cop, as was Richard Grayson at one point in comicbook history. He's constantly referred to as a hot-head, as was the doomed Jason Todd... and he was able to deduce Batman's secret identity just like Tim Drake did. John Blake was the perfect Robin. I like to think that if they were to continue the Nolan-verse, that Robin would eventually become KNIGHTWING and he would look like the picture below.

But in the manner in which the trilogy is structured it's crystal clear that Robin will eventually become Batman.  Bruce can live the rest of his life secure in the knowledge that Gotham has a silent guardian, a watchful protector, a Dark Knight. In many ways, The Dark Knight Rises could easily have been titled BRUCE WAYNE BEGINS. As Bruce finally lives a normal life & for the first time, Christopher Nolan gives us a happy, optimistic ending.

Finally, at the end of the trilogy Bruce Wayne accomplished his mission. In Batman Begins, Bruce Wayne told Alfred he wanted to create a symbol that would inspire people toward heroism and goodness. The moment Robin John Blake steps into the batcave and the platform rises, Bruce Wayne's mission is accomplished. The final moments of the THE DARK KNIGHT RISES cements Bruce Wayne's legacy, as THE LEGEND OF THE DARK KNIGHT will live forever.

Your Friend,

D.

"DIE" ON DVD & REDBOX MARCH 27th, 2012!

A cool, creepy movie directed by Dominic James and written by Moi is being released on (March 27th-2012) on DVD and RED BOX. Hope you go out and give it a chance. It will surprise you.

The Unrated Edition contains footage not seen in the theatrical cut and makes the film a more satisfying experience. I hope you enjoy it.

When asked what it's about, my response is:

--I characterize it as a "Locked Room Mystery with Global Consequences."

PS Big things coming from the same team very soon.

Your Friend,

D.

THE BEST CELLULOID IMAGE OF 2011

Every year I choose one celluloid image that burned itself into my mind. This past year (2011) the image comes from a film called TAKE SHELTER starring the awesome Michael Shannon. TAKE SHELTER is a paranoid thriller in which the main character is the only person who keeps seeing visions of the coming apocalypse. But is it all in his mind or is he actually a prophet? The above image, which takes place at the beginning of the film, is literally clouds in the shape of a person's mind -- "blowing up" -- like an atomic bomb. It could be interpreted as a visual representation of a man losing his mind. The image embodies the fears and anxieties that plague us when we go to sleep at night. The film is filled with the anxiety of joblessness, lack of medicare in the US and pollution. I don't want to spoil the film. The ending is extremely controversial and open to multiple interpretations. Watch it and let me know what you think of the ending.

Your Friend,

D.