‘The Master’ takes last year’s top spot, ‘Red Dawn’ falls to bottom
BEST
5. “Argo”
The No. 5 spot on this list was incredibly difficult to fill since 2012 was a pretty great year for movies. I deeply enjoyed “Lincoln” thanks to the performance of Daniel Day-Lewis, and “Silver Linings Playbook” was a step forward from all of those schmaltzy rom-coms. Still, I would have to give it to “Argo,” because Ben Affleck has really made a name for himself as a better director than actor. With “Argo,” Affleck successfully takes an important historical moment in U.S.–Middle East relations and adapts it into a riveting chase thriller that also acts as a hilarious Hollywood satire.
4. “Killing Them Softly”
Audiences may not have exactly warmed up to director Andrew Dominik’s most recent attempt to pound on America with an iron hammer, but “Killing Them Softly” engages nonetheless. Set in post-Katrina New Orleans, the movie satirizes dog-eat-dog capitalism under the guise of a gritty crime drama, but in no way was its message toward the American recession and the 2008 Obama-McCain election campaign subtle. Equal parts visually stunning, gory and thought-provoking, “Killing Them Softly” is one of the smartest crime dramas to be released in quite some time.
3. “Django Unchained”
Now, I’ve always loved bold and daring films, and nothing says bold and daring like Quentin Tarantino. With “Django Unchained,” Tarantino mixes spaghetti Western with blaxploitation in a film that reminds us that slavery within aristocratic gentility was indeed terrible, but presents it in a style that is provocative, filled with blood and nonetheless entertaining. Also, no other director can take such dark material and imbue moments of violence, blood and gore with such hilarity. Watch “Inglourious Basterds” and you’ll see what I mean.
2. “Zero Dark Thirty”
Never mind all of the controversy around the film’s view of torture, and let’s look at “Zero Dark Thirty” for what it really is: a work of astounding complexity about the hunting and killing of Osama bin Laden. It’s not arguing for or against the tactics used to track down America’s enemy; it views the manhunt as solid and dedicated detective work. If there is meaning here, it’s up to the viewers to determine it. “Zero Dark Thirty” has taken several of the moments within America’s fight against terrorism and transcended them into an anguished, gripping film that invites its viewers to do some soul-searching.
1. “The Master”
For a while in September, “The Master” looked like it was the film to beat during this season’s Oscar race. Though it failed to secure a nomination for best picture, it is director Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest complex, thought-provoking film. “The Master” delves deep into masculine psychology while also exploring blind obedience within pseudo-religion. But this movie is more of character study than anything, with Joaquin Phoenix giving the performance of his career as the drifting, breast-obsessed Freddie Quell looking for spiritual nourishment. Plus, the cinematography (the movie was shot using 70-mm film) was nothing less than drop-dead gorgeous, with certain sequences so hypnotic it’s almost like you’ve slipped into a vertigo-induced dream.
WORST
5. “Act of Valor”
Before people start bashing this selection, the reason I consider this film terrible has nothing to do with the brave men and women who serve this country. I just wish the Navy SEALs thought of a better way to represent their soldiers than a film that makes actual war look like a generic action movie. This played out like one of those laughable recruit seminars that would make you fall asleep in high school.
4. “Taken 2”
I loved “Taken,” a movie that showed even an older actor like Liam Neeson can be just as badass as today’s young action stars. But this lazily written sequel was more boring than watching a commercial for arthritis medication, which 60-year-old Neeson looked like he was advertising during the fight scenes. If another installment comes out, I hope the bad guys kidnap both the wife and daughter, because then Bryan Mills might finally realize what a terrible husband and father he is.
3. “The Words”
Bradley Cooper had an interesting year. He not only starred in the best romantic comedy of the year, “Silver Linings Playbook,” but he also starred in the worst romance of the year, period. He may be in line to take the Oscar for best actor, but he’ll want to forget this hackneyed and pretentious attempt at a romantic tearjerker. This movie could have been better if it hadn’t been so overstuffed with meaningless plot devices.
2. “Resident Evil: Retribution”
I’ve said it countless times, and I’ll say it again: VIDEO GAME MOVIES SUCK. When it comes to the Resident Evil series, the whole thing just doesn’t make sense to me. I’m not just talking about the story, but the reason Hollywood continue to torture everyone outside the fan base. The acting was terrible, the plotting was poor, the action was joyless and Milla Jovovich seriously needs to consider a new line of work.
1. “Red Dawn”
This was just another one of those remakes of a decent movie that should never have happened. Never before have I seen a thriller that made less sense. Why did the North Koreans invade America? How did these high school kids gain military skill in such short time? Why the confusing opening montage of political clips? How did Josh Peck lose all that weight? We need answers.