Bob Richards Top Movie Picks, 2012
Now it is time for my unveiling of the years very best. The top five films for 2012. First, a few Honorable Mentions:
Merinda in Brave gets the award for Best Hair. The animation wizards at Pixar wrote special software just to animate her hair. It was breathtaking!
Ted was the Funniest Comedy, and both Skyfall, and The Avengers were among the years best action movies.
Searching For Sugarman is the year's best documentary, followed closely by the wonderful Marley.
Special props to Russell Crowe who has the distinction of starring in one of the five worst, and one of the five best, films of the year.
This year it was especially hard to come up with my top five. Just missing the list...
(Life of Pi - 20th Century Fox - Rated PG)
Ang Lee's Life of Pi is a movie that you must see in theaters AND see it in 3-D. It's a visual spectacle, with incredible, jaw dropping imagery, and 3-D effects that at times took my breath away.
(Flight - Paramount - Rated R)
Flight stuck with me for days, with a performance by Denzel Washington that is amazing. I literally had sweaty palms for most of this incredible, intense, disturbing, nerve-wracking film.
(The Dark Knight Rises - Warner Brothers - Rated PG-13)
The Dark Knight Rises is an exciting, thrilling, brilliantly made conclusion to a terrific series. Add a wonderful twist ending that ties up all three movies nicely, and you have an absolute winner.
So now here we are. The five Best.
Number 5.
(Lincoln - Dreamworks - Rated PG-13)
In Steven Spielberg's Lincoln, Daniel Day Lewis so embodies the part, I completely forgot I was watching an actor. I have seldom seen an actor so disappear into his part. It is reverent, moving, powerful, and beautiful.
Number 4.
(Damsels in Distress - Sony - Rated PG-13)
I loved every second of Damsels in Distress. It has a delightful cast beginning with Greta Gerwig, who delivers the quirky, sunny, well written, dialogue perfectly. It's one of the best times I've ever had in a movie!
Number 3.
(Les Miserables - Universal - Rated PG-13)
With a jaw-dropping, heartbreaking performance from an amazing Anne Hathaway, who I think gives the single best performance by anyone this year, Les Miserables is a sweeping, wonderful, epic musical. It is immersive, grimy, emotional, overwhelming and enormous.
Number 2.
(The Sessions - Fox Searchlight - Rated R)
The Sessions is warm, compassionate and wonderful. John Hawkes gives the performance of a lifetime. This heartwarming film brought a tear to my eye. Don't miss it!!!
And the Best movie of 2012 is:
(Moonrise Kingdom - Focus Features - Rated PG-13)
Moonrise Kingdom is told in Wes Anderson's signature quirky
style and takes place on an island in 1964. Filmed in warm colors reminiscent of an 8mm home movie, this very entertaining, charming
and brilliant film is Anderson's best - and most accessible yet. It is nothing short of wonderful each and every second of its 94 minute runtime. It was a rare time I spent in movie Heaven.
Well, that's it, the best of 2012…here's to more next year! Happy New Year! Back to you…
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