Films watched in 2012


Due to a self imposed target of watching 365 films in one calendar year I’ll be keeping a constant month by month list of everything I watch – be it preview screenings, DVD screeners or films from my own personal collection. Each film will get a star rating and a brief, one/two sentence review, so keep checking in to find some hidden classics and downright shocking films.
January:
001: Cell 211 (Daniel Monzon, 2009) ★★★★☆ A gritty and exhilarating prison drama, well deserving of its eight Goya Awards
002: Last Days of Disco (Whit Stillman, 1998) ★★★★☆ Classic Whit Stillman - thoroughly detestable characters captured through some strangely mesmerizing bourgeois dialogue.  
003: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (Chris Columbus, 2001) ★★☆☆☆ By far the worst instalment of the franchise, yet still remains an enjoyable piece of fantasy escapism
004: The Help (Tate Taylor, 2011) ★★★☆☆Totally deserving of its high praise, although it’s hard to avoid the Disney schmaltz behind the production
005: Deadheads (Brett Pierce & Drew T.Pierce, 2011) ★★★☆☆ Although totally stupid and outright terrible, this corny zombie/buddy/road movie is just trashy enough to become a genuinely enjoyable piece of Saturday night entertainment
006: Deep End (Jerzy Skolimowski, 1970) ★★★★☆ With Deep End, Skolimowski may have dived head first into the deepest part of the male psyche, but by no means does he sink under the pressure - Jane Asher is electric!
007: Bellflower (Evan Glodell, 2011) ★★★★☆ This mumblecore romance is as equally touching as it is exciting – a must for fans of original and forward thinking independent cinema
008: Rear Window (Alfred Hitchcock, 1954) ★★★★★ Classic Hitchcock - on a side note, Grace Kelly once owned a house I lived in back in Rugby – fact! 
009: Greenberg (Noah Baumbach, 2010) ★★★☆☆ There's plenty to enjoy in Baumbach's follow up to the much derived Margot at the Wedding, especially Greta Gerwig's remarkable performance. Sadly it fails to live up to his pitch perfect The Squid and the Whale - but at least it shows signs of reaching those hights.
010: Baghead (Jay & Mark Duplass, 2008) ★★☆☆☆ Well executed but lacking in production quality, this low budget horror, whilst admirable in its intentions, lacks enough panache to make it more than just a piece of low brow entertainment
011: Cold Weather (Aaron Katz, 2010) ★★★★☆ My first viewing of this mumblecore detective thriller was mildly marred by my restless girlfriends threat to punch me in the cock if it didn't get more interesting - on a second, more private viewing it's clear that this Sherlock Holmes inspired thriller is a wonderful gem of a film.
012: Kill List (Ben Wheatley, 2011) ★★★★☆ On second viewing Kill List's ambiguous narrative loses its thought provoking appeal and leaves far too many questions unanswered for it to maintain its previous five star rating.   
013: Tucker and Dale vs Evil (Eli Craig, 2010) ★★★★☆ Utterly ridiculous but a thoroughly enjoyable comedy/horror – equal measures of gore and comedy make this hillbilly parody the perfect late night movie
014: In a Better World (Susanne Bier, 2010) ★★★★☆ necessary viewing if only for its well observed story of adolescent confusion and use of sumptuous cinematography.
015: The Artist (Michael Hazanavicius, 2011) ★★★★★ The third viewing of this glorious present to anyone who loves cinema is just as enjoyable as the first.
016: Corpse Bride (Tim Burton, 2005) ★★☆☆☆ Nowhere near as impressive or enjoyable as The Nightmare Before Christmas, lacking in energy and strong character development – hopefully the stop motion version of Frankenweenie and adaptation of Dark Shadows will see a return to form (although Burton's recent track record doesn't promise much)
017: Sarah Palin: You Betcha! (Nick Broomfield, 2011) ★☆☆☆☆ Broomfield's attempts to provoke controversy fail to dig any deeper than what we've already read or seen in the press – resulting in an hour and a half of watching a man failing to get an interview with an provocative politician – boring, pointless and utterly unnecessary. 
018: Snow Angels (David Gordon Green, 2007) ★★★★☆ Before David Gordon Green became a purveyor of US stoner comedy he was perhaps the most promising independent American director of the last decade. Snow Angels might be his most restrained film but still stands out as a powerful domestic drama about the crumbling family dynamics of middle American households
019: Beginners (Mike Mills, 2010) ★★★☆☆ Thumbsucker director Mike Mills' Beginners is a delightfully pleasant drama about breaking the inherent genetic codes which shape our lives and behaviour. Christopher Plummer's remarkable turn as a recently 'outed' 70 year old is only surpassed by Cosmos, the film's insightful and extremly loveable Jack Russell.
020: Tiny Furniture (Lena Dunham, 2010) ★★★★☆ This unabashed domestic drama about female relationships may - at times - feel a little too try hard and contrived but remains a very enjoyable film as a whole - thanks primarily to its sharp and well observed dialogue which is wonderfully interspersed with some delightfully twee comedy. A tough film to judge, either a very strong three star film, or a 'just across the line' four star one.
021: Black Death (Christopher Smith, 2010) ★★★☆☆ Sean Bean may, yet again, be dressed in chain mail, but surprisingly Christopher Smith's follow up to his admirably inventive but sadly flawed Triangle is a well constructed middle-ages horror - making himself something of a sub genre mastermind of horror and a director clearly willing to explore the deepest recesses of the genre
022: Apollo 18 (Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego, 2011) ★☆☆☆☆ If you thought Mark Wahlberg cowering at the sight of a pot plant in The Happening was the lowest ebb of horror filmmaking, just wait till you watch men soil their space suits at the mere sights of rocks! A cosmic found footage thriller which should have been abandoned well before production blasted into motion
023: Melancholia (Lars Von Trier, 2011) ★★★★★ A visually spectacular return to form from Von Trier and by far his best film since Dogville. Dunst's performance is phenomenal 
024: Howard the Duck (Willard Huyck, 1986) ★★★☆☆Surprisingly, Howard the Duck is nowhere near as terrible as I’d been lead to believe – yes it’s trashy and yes its premise goes way beyond the ludicrous, but this is a film which realises its absurdity and embraces it fully.  
025: The Winning Season (James C. Strouse, 2009) ★★☆☆☆ The Winning Season is another horribly trite high school drama that attempts to use sporting achievements to represent personal redemption. Sam Rockwell performs admirably with the material he’s given but even his gritty performance (coupled with an adolescent cameo from new ‘it’ girl Rooney Mara) isn’t enough to save Winning Season from sinking to the depths of formulaic emotional schmaltz. 
026: Shame (Steve McQueen, 2011) ★★★★☆ Perhaps the bars been set too high after Hunger, but Shame seems to lack the sociopolitical punch of its predecessor, resulting in a less emotionally draining and affecting film than expected. However, such a foible is little more than a petty complaint towards what, despite it being January, is destined to be one of great releases of 2012.
027: Flakes (Michael Lehmann, 2007) ★☆☆☆☆  Not even Zooey Deschanel’s hypnotically oversized eyes can save Flakes from its horrible need to look ‘cool’. Filled to the brim with cringe worth cultural references and clichéd character development, this ‘quirky’ ode to Empire Records and Clerks fails to even reach the inept level of filmmaking of the film it’s attempting to recreate.
028: Carancho (Pablo Trapero, 2010) Reviews embargoed until week of release.
029: The Guard (John Michael McDonagh, 2011) ★★★★☆ Unfortunately, The Guard’s risqué approach to comedy will probably prevent it reaching a larger audience. Yet it’s fantastic balancing act between black humour, thrilling action and genuine emotion (all achieved so effortlessly) makes it one of the year’s most enjoyable films
030: Flight of the Navigator (Randal Kleiser, 1986) ★★★☆☆ A childhood favourite, Flight of the Navigator is just as enjoyable as it was all those years ago - a wonderfully crafted children’s sci-fi adventure.
031: The Red and The White (Miklos Jancso, 1967) ★★★★☆ Jancso's portrayal of the historically ignored role of the Hungarian communists who helped the Bolsheviks defeat the White Army is a powerfully bleak depiction of civil war. filmed as a collection of vignettes, this refreshingly honest war film is a remarkable example of Jancso's breathtaking direction.

032: Like Crazy (Drake Doremus, 2011)
★★★☆☆ Like Crazy has all the ingredients required to be a thought provoking tragedy, boasting a multitude of impressive glimpses into how great a film it could so easily have been- yet sadly in its rush to deal with the emotionally heavy outcome of its story, Doremus' film fails to effectively build the foundations necessary to make its powerful middle act the emotionally exhausting journey it originally promises to be.

033: Aliens (James Cameron, 1986) ★★★★★ Still as impressive now as it was then, Aliens proves that with a little invention, a sequel doesn't always have to be a dire rehashing of old ideas.

034: Troll Hunter (Andre Ovredal, 2010) ★★★☆☆ A surprisingly unique and enjoyable film which, both manages to excite and amuse in equal measures.

035: Annie Hall (Woody Allen, 1977) ★★★★★ Anne Hall continues to remain just as electrifying after multiple viewings as it did the first time round. Allen's anti-romance love-story is a masterpiece of light hearted observation and remains one of the most genuinely amusing comedies to ever deal with the complexities of love and relationships.

036: Bal (Semih Kaplanoglu, 2010) ★★★★☆ A haunting coming of age drama that truly deserves its Golden Bear award from last years Belinale –  Bal also features one of the most engrossing child performances laid onto celluloid since Anna Torrent in Cria Cuervos
037: OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies (Michel Hazanavicius, 2006) ★★★★☆ A genuinely enjoyable parody of sixties spy thrillers, OSS 117 features the same team who made The Artist, and it shows – full of excitement, laughs and most importantly – fun!
038: Haywire (Steven Soderbergh, 2011) ★★☆☆☆ Non professional actor Gina Carano puts her established stars to shame with a powerfully muscular performance. Too Stupid to be taken serious but not dumb enough to be enjoyed as mere escapism, Haywire finds itself in the No-Mans land of action blockbusters

039: Watching the Detectives (Paul Soter, 2007) ★★☆☆☆
Clearly attempting to be a ‘High Fidelity’  for cineastes, Watching the Detectives is neither as funny or intelligent, yet remains strangely watchable – a harmless piece of throwaway cinema
040: The Grey (Joe Carnahan, 2011) ★☆☆☆☆ Carnahan is clearly a talented filmmaker but The Grey doesn’t suit his lush cinematography. As the saying goes “You can make a bad movie from a great script but you can’t make a great movie from a bad one” - The Grey clearly falls into the latter category and is further hampered by its hideously inaccurate depiction of wolves as savage killing machines. Furthermore these cheap looking CGI wolves, whilst looking like the rejects from the Twilight franchise, still come across as more charismatic that Liam “If the money’s good I’ll do any old shit” Neeson and his merry band of misogynistic  supporting cast members. The Grey is an abhorrently misjudged film with a detestable view of nature and human behaviour.  
041: Centurion (Neil Marshall, 2010) ★★★☆☆Centurion is a surprisingly enjoyable, gory, action adventure. Fassbender and Cunningham manage to embellish the film’s undeniably simplistic premise, turning what could have been a bloody mess of a film, into an exhilarating thriller. (*Centurion almost lost a star for its false depiction of Wolves, however, it used its a mere narrative tool rather than the central premise of its story)
042: Paul (Greg Mottola, 2011) ★★★☆☆ Paul is the embodiment of what you’d expect from a sci-fi film created by Nick Frost and Simon Pegg – two sci-fi nerds who grew up under the influence of Lucas and Spielberg. Paul is an unabashed pastiche of all these films, but handles it’s commendably well – a love letter to the Golden age of 70’s/80’s Science Fiction that whilst incredibly shallow and transparent remains thoroughly enjoyable.

043: Frozen (Adam Green, 2010) ★★★☆☆ After a painstakingly tedious opening Frozen emerges as a terrific suspense horror that’s only compromised by its deeply irritating cast.

044: Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (Brad Peyton, 2012) ★★☆☆☆ (Public review rated at 3 stars due its focus on a younger audience)Despite some cringe worthy moments of horrendous acting and an abundance of needlessly excessive shots intended to exploit the 3D element, journey 2 is a film perfectly tailored to younger audience with a wealth of exhilarating action and suspense

045: Sansho Dayu (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1954) ★★★★★ Mizoguchi’s ability to create such utterly heartbreaking films is astonishing, Sansho Dayu uses melodrama perfectly to evoke the most harrowing of feelings – a masterpiece

046: All That Heaven Allows (Douglas Sirk, 1955) ★★★★☆Love against adversity is a common theme in modern day cinema, but never has it been as subtly told as this beautiful story of a relationship fighting against the pitfalls of class judgement within higher society.

047: Position Among the Stars (Leonard Retel Helmrich, 2010) ★★★★☆ A breathtakingly beautiful yet incredibly natural feeling documentary about a family living in one of the poorest suburbs in Jakarta, Indonesia. This is yet another fantastic documentary from the good people at Dogwoof.

048: One Day (Lone Scherfig, 2011) ★★★☆☆ One Day is an incredibly accomplished romance which successfully manages to tell its wide ranging story without ever losing its audience’s attention. Adapting a love story which crosses numerous years is no mean feat and whilst nowhere near perfect, One Day remains a stunningly assured attempt at such a monumental challenge.

049: Funny People (Judd Apatow, 2009) ★★★☆☆Surprisingly good - but by no means spectacular. The childish fart and penis jokes are nicely subdued by the film’s more 'serious’ overtones without ever feeling overly mawkish.
January Total: 49

February

050: Bringing Up Baby (Howard Hawks, 1938) ★★★★☆Bringing Up Baby is a magnificent comedy that feeds off the wonderful performances of both its stars. Pitch perfect physical humour that sits nicely between the joviality of silent Hollywood cinema and modern moviemaking

051: The Apartment (Billy Wilder, 1960) ★★★★★  
Billy Wilder’s masterpiece and one of the greatest films to emerge from the romantic era of 1960’s Hollywood - the perfect balance of heartbreak and humor.

052: Beauty (Skoonheid) (Oliver Hermanus, 2011) ★★★☆☆ A powerful allegory for contemporary South Africa’s continued transition, where those born free still live amongst those raised on archaic beliefs about race and sex. Not for the weak willed, this terribly claustrophobic film is subtly invasive, leaving you thinking about its graphically violent action for much longer than you’ll want to

053: Martha Marcy May Marlene (Sean Durkin, 2011) ★★★★★Despite its unsatisfactory ending, Durkin’s debut film is a haunting tale of identity which lingers in the mind. Powerfully tense, Martha Marcy May Marlene is all the more exceptional thanks to its incredible performance by Elizabeth Olson, a role which deserves all the recognition it’s been getting.

054: Midnight in Paris (Woody Allen, 2011) ★★★★☆
Midnight in Paris is a wonderful piece of escapist drama, that through it’s deluded protagonist leads us on a fascinating journey of self discovery – and whilst we the audience may choice to position ourselves as far away as possible from Allen’s incredibly self-obsessed characters, it becomes difficult not to become completely fascinated with their whimsical encounters and activities

Maddin’s films are always haunting, shrouded in a mystical aura in which to lose yourself in. Whilst people have been understandably falling over themselves for their love of The Artist – recognition should be given to Maddin for perfectly capturing the essence of 1920’s German expressionist cinema. A strikingly wonderful piece of cinema with an intoxicating atmosphere made up of madness and delusions

056 & 057: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring ★★★★★  & The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers ★★★★☆ (Peter Jackson, 2001 & 2002) I’m certainly not making this task easier for myself by choosing to view the extended versions of Jackson’s award winning adaptation of Tolkein’s much loved novels. However, whilst Lucas is desperately clawing at every possible dime there is to made by retrofitting his Star Wars prequels – the Lord of the Rings trilogy are actually enhanced through these beautifully extensive versions

058: Ghostwatch (Lesley Manning, 1992) ★★★★☆
True, it’s not technically a film, but its 90 minute runtime has led me to include it in this list. This is the only film/show I’ve ever watch and been genuinely terrified by, admittedly I’ve been scared many a time by horror films however, Ghostwatch, with its incredibly realistic approach scared the eight year old me to the core. Watching back twenty years later it’s clearly staged (and quite poorly so), yet possibly due to the subconscious memories of that first innocent viewing it still scares the hell out of me! 

059: The Woman in Black (James Watkins,2012) ★★★☆☆ The Woman in Black makes for a more than adequate piece of weekend escapism - and whilst it's familiar story remains disappointedly uninspiring, it may well be remembered for being the role that transformed Daniel 'Harry Potter' Radcliffe into simply; Daniel Radcliffe.
060: The Oxford Murders (Alex De La Iglesia, 2008) ★★★☆☆ surprisingly enjoyable, De La Iglesias’ surrealist touch is subtle but effective.
061: Sunset Boulevard (Billy Wilder, 1950) ★★★★★ A true masterpiece!
062: Captive (Brilliante Mendoza, 2012) ★★★☆☆ No degree of aesthetically-pleasing camerawork or impressive acting from Huppert can save Captive from its disappointingly languid pace and blotted runtime, yet this gruelling experience is certainly worth watching if only for its claustrophobic atmosphere of helplessness.
063: Shadow Dancer (James Marsh, 2012) ★★☆☆☆ incredibly mundane and completely lacking in suspense, Shadow Dancer has neither the dramatic power nor social importance to become little more than a late night thriller. A disappointment, especially when considering the cinematic quality Marsh had previously installed into his critically acclaimed documentaries.
064: Keyhole (Guy Maddin, 2011) ★★★★☆ Much like David Lynch's Inland Empire (2006) there will be many fully prepared to lose themselves in Maddin's ludicrously over indulgent nightmare, however everyone else will struggle to find little more than an incoherent mess of a film. Regardless of where you find yourself, there's little doubt that Keyhole will firmly lodge itself in the forefront of your mind.
065: Sister (L'Enfant d'en Haut, Ursula Meier, 2012) ★★★★★ Sister is truly magical, thrusting the audience through a gamut of emotions and brilliantly immersing the viewer into this fascinating setting where the rich frolic high above the poor, like gods with little concern for those less privileged below.
066: Jayne Mansfield’s Car (Billy Bob Thornton, 2012) ★★☆☆☆ Jayne Mansfield's Car is as much of a mangled mess as its namesake - a thoroughly disappointing film which, whilst coming close to finding its feet in the final act, ultimately falls flat on its face
067: The Flowers of War (Yimou Zhang, 2011) ★★★☆☆ As a piece of exhilarating action filmmaking there's certainly plenty of enjoyment to be had from The Flowers of War however, for a more educational and emotionally draining depiction of the Nanking massacre give Chuan Lu's exceptional City of Life and Death (2009) a watch - you won't be disappointed.
068: Friends After 3.11 (Shunji Iwai, 2011) ★☆☆☆☆ Friends after 3.11 should be a socially important documentary about Japan's worrying dependency on nuclear power, yet sadly, despite its best intentions, it's little more than a obnoxiously personal preach which lacks any real bite.
069: Home for the Weekend (Hans-Christian Schmid, 2012) ★★★☆☆ This deconstruction of a picture perfect family certainly makes for entertaining viewing, however, there remains a nagging feeling that perhaps more could of been made of Home for the Weekend's core subject.
070: Tabu (Miguel Gomes, 2012) ★★★★★  Playfully switching from the gloom of the present day to the warmth and perceived simplicity of life in the past, Tabu is an enthralling, lighthearted stab at a society unable to escape from imprisoning itself in a cloud of nostalgia.
071: As Luck Would Have it (Alex de la Iglesia, 2011) ★★★☆☆ a highly enjoyable piece of throwaway entertainment which successfully conveys its social message, whilst remaining genuinely riveting throughout.
072: Bliss (Gluck, Doris Dorrie, 2011) ★★★★☆ Euro romance with a twisted final act, Bliss works thanks to its well constructed romance which successfully immerses the audience into its protagonists plight
073: Postcards From the Zoo (Edwin, 2012) ★★☆☆☆ despite an endearingly twee opening, Postcards From the Zoo descends into a disappointingly incoherent mess.
074: White Dear Plain (Quan'an Wang, 2011) ★☆☆☆☆ Adultery, grain tax, golden showers and rape –at least two of these should be interesting – none are.
075: Francine (Brian M.Cassidy & Melanie Shatzky, 2012) ★★★★☆ Francine is a delicate film which lingers in your mind for much longer than first anticipated
076: Rent-a-Cat (Naoko Ogigami, 2012) ★★★★☆ mixing elements of Amelie with the sweet sentiment of Studio Ghibli, Rent-a-Cat is a film made for cat lovers that will no doubt win over the hearts of anyone who's ever felt a yearning for unconditional companionship.
077: Just the Wind (Benedek Fliegauf, 2012) ★★★★☆Steadily building to a nerve shattering conclusion, Just the Wind is a pressure cooker of social criticism which deceptively hooks you early on, before slowly reeling you in for the kill.
078: Mercy (Matthias Glasner, 2012) ★★☆☆☆ attempting to be this years Berlinale morality tale (ala A Separation) Mercy falls flat, only saved by its breathtaking scenery
079: A Royal Affair (Nikolaj Arcel, 2012) ★★★☆☆ a good old fashion costume romp thats brought to life thanks to some brilliant performances especially Mads Mikkelsen
080: Headshot (Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, 2011) ★★☆☆☆ a clumsy action thriller which despite its frantic opening act, quickly descends into an incoherent mess
081: War Witch (Kim Nguyen, 2012) ★★★★☆ the implied violence of War Witch creates a genuinely unnerving viewing experience powerful filmmaking
082: Bel Ami (Declan Donnellan & Nick Ormerod, 2012) ★★☆☆☆ a laugh riot, but for all the wrong reasons. Bel Ami is an atrocious piece of period drama.
083: Everybody in our Family: ★★★★☆ sharp, witty, and often hilarious domestic drama that slowly boils to an electric crescendo
084: Iron Sky (Timo Vuorensola, 2012) ★★☆☆☆ a one note joke extended over 97 unimpressive, disappointing and incredibly tedious minutes
085: End of Puberty (Shoko Kimura, 2012) ★★☆☆☆ a promising and original debut that whilst showcasing a lot of character, fails in immersing the audience into its tale of teenage hardships and the ambiguous role of sex within society.
086: Home (Ursula Meier, 2008) ★★★★☆ Meiers debut feature is a delightful slab of social criticism masked by a twee synopsis. Huppert is tremendous
087: Bestiaire (Denis Cote, 2012) ★★☆☆☆ Painstakingly boring, but utterly beautiful at the same time. This examination of three various perspectives on observing animals lacks any real bite.
088: Warrior (Gavin O'Connor, 2011) ★★★★☆ the press blurb wasnt lying; Warrior truly is like all of the Rocky films rolled into one - one of those horrendously predictable sport films that still manages to keep the adrenaline pumping throughout brilliant.


It’s becoming too difficult to review each film so for the time being star ratings will have to suffice!


090: Disturbia (D.J Caruso, 2007) ★★☆☆☆


092: The Kid (Charlie Chaplin, 1921) ★★★★☆


094: Project X (Nima Nourizadeh, 2012) ★☆☆☆☆

February Total: 45

March:

095: Repo Man (Alex Cox, 1984) ★★★★☆





100: Michael (Markus Schleinzer, 2011) ★★★★☆





105: Lincoln Lawyer (Brad Furman, 2011) ★★★☆☆

106: Breathing (Karl Markovics, 2011) ★★★★☆


MarchTotal (so far): 14
Year Total (so far): 108/365*
*Last updated 15/03/2012

No comments:

Post a Comment