January | 2013 | The Movie Rat

Top 25 Films of 2012: 15-11

Posted on January 3, 2013 by bernardovillela

I try to keep my mind as open as possible during the year, and as you start assembling a list like this you see there could be perceived slights. The fact of the matter is making this list was brutal. More than once I had to consider if I can stick to a previously made proclamation, more than once I jotted down additional titles to see if they could slide into the top 25.

15. ParaNorman

Here’s a situation wherein I have to buck what my genre ranking would seem to dictate. This film ranks as #6 on the horror list but that is due to its handling and effectiveness of the horror elements within compared to “pure” horror films who aren’t splitting time, attempting to change tone and do multiple things. The completeness of emotional range and the things this tale does brings it up higher on this list than it goes on the horror list.

14. Killer Joe

This film falls into a very particular niche of being dramatic, horrific, crime drama, neo-noir, batshit that falls into my wheelhouse because it all makes sense and works. You never knows what’s coming but everything that happens, as crazy as it is, makes sense, is effective and has a ton of impact. It’s filled with tremendous performances including those of Matthew McConaughey, Gina Gershon and Juno Temple, all the elements and performances are expertly handled by William Friedkin.

13. Holy Motors

This was perhaps the most impossible film to place, and another film that came to mind when writing my brief intro to this list. The fact of the matter is once I had seen and digested this film a bit I knew it had to make it on the list I knew I enjoyed watching it and eventually came to love it, but how to quantify where on this list it falls was beyond me. Because the list is so varied it ended up landing where it did just on intangible gut feeling and exemplifies that making the list and being considered among the best is what matters.

12. Skyfall

There are some films that are on this list where you can argue fanboydom and I couldn’t really give too much of a fight, but I am a casual Bond observer at best, and I absolutely love this installment. That alone was enough for me (obviously), but many of the die hards I know were also very impressed with this film. However, this film goes far beyond being just a great Bond film and nearly shed the Bond facade altogether at times. It’s sumptuously filmed and has set pieces that lend it surreal beauty, it takes an archetypal character and has his demons be as much an antagonist as his literal enemy, it takes symbolic placeholder characters and rounds them, and is yet another testament to John Logan‘s brilliance. I could give it even more accolades but suffice it to say it’s a franchise installment that has myself, and the faithful, clamoring for more.

11. The Avengers

As mentioned above my list is pretty disparate, there are few titles that even come close to being apples to apples. The Avengers is one of the best times I had at the movies this year and upon release seemed like it was going to stand alone atop the loft superhero peak of this year, alas that was not to be. Again, it’s not really about a failing here (as each film dealt with a similar climactic plot device) but rather what else another superhero film did. Last year X-Men was up in this spot as top ranking. This year it’s second in the subgenre.

Favorite Older Films First Seen in 2012, Part 2

Posted on January 2, 2013 by bernardovillela

This is an idea I first saw on @bobfreelander‘s blog. The idea is to list your favorite films from the past year that you saw for the first time, but exclude new releases. This allows much more variety and creates a lot of great suggestions if you read many of them.

Since I tracked these films much more closely this year my list grew long. I will occasionally combine selections by theme, but there is enough for five posts. These choices are in no particular order.

Enjoy!

Wait Until Dark (1967)

Part of what I really like about 31 Days of Oscar is that despite how high up the you-shoulda-seen-this-by-now ladder a film is the slate typically makes it quite easy to catch up on many of those titles. I always figured that the closing half of this film must be great, but what good is that without an effective build-up? Not much, but this film has both.

 Wild Boys of the Road (1933)

Yes, I learned it an always vaguely knew what Pre-Code was, but this year was the first time I really studied up on it and started to watch it more. This film, in part, was the catalyst. What really strikes you is how this film epitomizes the working class, stoic tackling of Depression themes head on that was a Warner signature of the era.

The Window (1949)

If I wanted to try and completely drive myself insane and place these films in order, this would likely come out atop the fray. This is a film based on a short story by Cornell Woolrich, the same man who gave us Rear Window, and is essentially that tale crossed with “The Boy who Cried Wolf.” It’s short and as suspenseful as you could possibly stand, with real danger and a tremendous performance by Bobby Driscoll that earned him the Juvenile Award from the Academy.

Mrs. Parkington (1944)

This is a another 31 Days of Oscar selection that allowed me to redeem missing one of Greer Garson’s nominations as Best Actress. A few years back TCM aired each of her five successive nominations in order and I should’ve seen the whole block. This is a duplicitous family portrait that spans lifetimes and does so very entertainingly.

The Masque of the Red Death (1964)

In my previous post I discussed the dichotomy between Roger Corman and Charles Band. Where Corman sets himself apart is in the careers he helped kickstart, but also with his Poe adaptations. I saw a lot of these films in the past year and this was likely the most artistically daring and complete of the lot.

 Faces of Children (1925)

I have a lot of silents and older films sitting on my DVR that I must get to. This is a case of my catching a piece of this film on TCM late one night then being determined to watch it whole again one day. This film stuck with me not just because I discovered the work of Jacques Feyder through it, but also due to the wonderful tinting work involved in it.

Spectre (2006)

I embrace any and all horror series like Six Films to Keep You Awake that round up genre directors from certain countries to tell quick effective tales. It’s not dissimilar to Door into Darkness or Masters of Horror, this edition highlights the uniquely opaque, intricate and dramatic flair that Spain has for the genre. There will be another tale from the series on this list. This is the one that separates the die hards from the casual admirers.

 A Child Called Jesus (1987)

Any film willing to fill in some Biblical gaps, or at the very least cover ground rarely trod, will get my attention. Similarly any film that can hold my attention in spite of terrible dubbing is also worth noting.

The Christmas Tale (2005)

As mentioned above in Spectre, this is a Six Films to Keep You Awake tale, but this is the more accessible of the two I chose. It deals with a group of kids who find a woman trapped in a hole, as they learn about what got her there each faces moral dilemmas about how to deal with the situation. It not only sets up good horror but great character study.

 Death and Cremation (2010)

Prior to Jeremy Sumpter being the not-so-obscure object of desire in Excision he starred in this film which features a very overt and twisted mentor-protegé relationship. Bringing horror icons into the fold of a new project can be a double-edged sword but Brad Dourif is very effective in this role. Conversely, Sumpter utilizes his seeming vulnerability to channel a disconnected attitude and anger. The undertaker/death obsession mixed with suburban malaise can be seen as an obvious connection, but it’s not an overwrought one and works well with the performances.

Best Films of 2012: 20-16

Posted on January 2, 2013 by bernardovillela

I try to keep my mind as open as possible during the year and as you start assembling a list like this you see there could be perceived slights. The fact of the matter is making this list was brutal. More than once I had to consider if I can stick to a previously made proclamation, more than once I jotted down additional titles to see if they could slide into the top 25.

20. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Here’s a film that vaults onto this list after a personal recommendation. It’s a condemnation of trailers, a triumph of narrative and ensemble film acting. It’s a well-balanced tale of parallel narratives that hearkens back to Love Actually for me, however, has more varied and universal themes, and also some contemporary global commentary.

19. Goon

I wrote a lot about Goon after I first saw it, and it hurts even more to do so now seeing as how the NHL is well on its way to losing a full season for the second time in my adult life. It’s no coincidence that I write this with a teutonic team’s hat resting upon my head. Psychological baggage aside, this is a film that develops its characters, humor and story very well; and it celebrates, understands and embraces the sport its about better than most.

18. Sinister

I love horror films so I typically will make a genre-related list to highlight those titles, but that won’t stop me from including genre titles here so Sinister takes this spot and is the first of a few that will appear on this list. It takes a popular current trope uses it better than most, expands upon it, builds suspense, a lot of character, has a fantastic score, occasional needed comic relief; and a hell of a lot of impact. It’s one of those movies that affected my real life, as I know have a flashlight app on my iPhone.

17. The Woman in Black

On my horror list I discuss my general feelings on Gothic horror, they are positive but it’s a hard subgenre to tackle because it’s so classical and commonplace. For this film to do what it does, as well as it does, in this day and age, is triumphant indeed.

16. In the Family

This is a film that has had quite an adventurous, long and winding release pattern. It is a film that actually appeared on Slant’s best of 2011 list and has flown under the radar for most. However, for many of those who happen upon it, it’s made quite an impact. I was fortunate not only to have it play near me, but also that I decided to go as I nearly didn’t. It is a well-told, interestingly constructed, dramatically rendered and universal telling of what could seem like a niche tale of custody battle between surviving family members and a same-sex domestic partner.

Favorite Older Films First Seen in 2012, Part 1

Posted on January 1, 2013 by bernardovillela

Enjoy!

This is England (2006)

Being on Twitter has often made me jealous that my British friends seem to have a lot of TV that’s good and worth watching, much more than we in the US do, that and we remake and import a lot of their stuff. Discovering that This is England had spawned a TV spin-off got me to watch the film (all I had access to) and I’m glad I did; what a powerful work.

Peeping Tom (1960)

I went in search of a bunch of proto-slashers, and other horror milestones this year. This was one of the best I found. A lot of tropes that are later commonplace are played here, but they’re played so well.

Make a Wish (1937)

Considering how many poverty row, and other public domain films are on the Internet Archive, I should hit it up more, and plan to. I previously wrote about Bobby Breen and have been able to see most of his filmography thanks to the site. In a day and age when musicals were not only prevalent, but tailored to their stars; he was was a unique talent.

Child of Glass (1978)

It’s often been observed that Disney had no problem scaring children so long as things, for the most part, worked out in the end. Many of the classic Disney films have iconically frightening moments that stay with kids, be they deaths or just images. Child of Glass is a later project that sticks to this mantra and weaves a surprising dark and engrossing southern Gothic tale.

Clive Barker Films: Rawhead Rex (1986), Salomé (1973) and The Forbidden (1978)

I sadly missed a chance to see the Cabal cut of Nightbreed this past year. I hope to rectify that soon. However, I discovered Rawhead Rex last year and that lead me to lookup his early shorts Salomé and The Forbidden. I hold Hellraiser as one of the standards of the horror genre in film, and some of his novels as some of the most important in the literary realm of the genre, so these discoveries are long overdue and I’m glad to have seen them. Barker is about as complete an artist as exists, and there is no parallel I can think of to his imagination.

The Drum (1938)

I really enjoy the Criterion Eclipse sets. I have a few, want more than I can get, such that I’ll likely have to start renting them. They often illuminate if not forgotten but overlooked films of greats and not-so-renowned actors and filmmakers. Of the selections in the Sabu box this one seemed like the one with the least fanfare prior to my seeing it but is the one that sticks out the most. A good suspense plot, a unique historical/political situation and another significant screen appearance by Desmond Tester, who has an infamous appearance in Hitchcock’s Sabotage.

The Comedy of Terrors (1963)

If there were sub-divisions on this list it would win Most Fun hands down. The film stars Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff and Basil Rathbone, is both a horror and comedy film as the title implies and left me with a stupid grin on my face long after it was over. The interplay between Price and Lorre, including some things that seemed to be improvised, is magic.

 House of Dark Shadows (1970)

If you, like me, made the mistake of seeing the new Dark Shadows, you can rectify it. House of Dark Shadows is pretty much everything you love in the TV show crammed in a film. Not that this surprises me considering Dan Curtis’s appearance on this list last year.

The Fallen Idol (1948)

This is the first of two ‘child witness’ tales. This one by Carol Reed I discovered during 31 Days of Oscar. It’s also an oft-overlooked Criterion selection that is hard to find. It deals brilliantly with perception and builds palpable tension and doubt.

Indiscretion of an American Housewife (1953)

This film would be worth mentioning for Vittorio De Sica’s working in English, with dialogue provided by Truman Capote and for a studio alone, but it does also hold its own even as what Truffaut might term a great “flawed film.” Especially considering the wonderful performances by Montgomery Clift and Jennifer Jones.

Top 25 Films of 2012: 25-21

Posted on January 1, 2013 by bernardovillela

T25. Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close & Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life

Look, I’m not a big fan of calling ties in lists to fudge in an extra title but it’s justified here. I’ll get to why. However, I also didn’t want to throw a bone out of an honorable mention with little to no discussion of that title. Secondly, yes, Extremely Loud was nominated for an Oscar last year but I was nowhere near where it played for it’s Oscar-Qulaifying run so I only saw it when it opened wide in January.

Ok, so why a tie? Both these films deal with children who have lost their father, live in New York City and are on a mysterious journey to find an answer to a riddle their father seemingly left them. The biggest difference between the two is that in Jeremy Fink there’s not a whiff of 9/11. There are smaller ones but that’s the key. I wrote ad nauseum about my feelings on 9/11 and this film, and if forced to only pick one I’d take Extremely Loud, but that one has the fanfare and might bother you, and the other one is a smaller film, which you should not judge by its cover that’s worth a look if you like the essence of the tale and want that one element excised.

24. Lincoln

The introductory paragraph talks about all the decisions made in this list but Lincoln particularly came to mind when writing it. To call something the 24th best film of the year sounds like a snide remark, until you consider how good the year was, the film in question and ultimately how malleable the list could be. I initially described Lincoln as a line drive for Spielberg. It’s a baseball phrase meaning he’s got a hit on his hands, extrapolating that it also refers to the constantpace of the film. The cloistered nature of the film, the political nature, the drama; are all great, but not as transcendent as some. I fully believe Spielberg got what he desired here and he was aiming for something very different list-making ultimately comes down to splitting hairs and this is where this one fell – no slight against it though.

23. Ted

I wrote about the pop of Ted and the significance that can have beyond mere identification, but what I didn’t note is that this film just works. What makes it funny and endearing is that it’s wish-fulfillment taken to comedic extremes. As kids we all wish certain things, the teddy bear one has particular pull for me, but don’t consider every eventuality. This film does that and the comedic trappings and pitfalls of the the arrested development that ensues make it great. To call it an overblown Family Guy episode would be to do it injustice because what MacFarlane and crew do here is what they can’t always do on the show, but the sensibilities and touches are there.

22. Boy

Where Boy really succeeds is in developing its characters. As I wrote about in the review, it’s really a story about accepting one’s family as is and the struggle to reach that point. The fact that it takes place in a Maori community makes it of interest to me (as I have seen good films in a similar milieu before) but the plight of the father to reconcile with his sons, and their search for acceptance and to forgive him his wrongs, are what make this film universal.

21. The Raid: Redemption

Virtually the only mistake one can associate with this film is the indecipherable subtitle the distributor slapped on it. However, as I have argued about many a film, most notably Halloween III, “who cares what you call it? ‘cus I call it great.” I’ll readily admit things in the martial arts or action genres rarely achieve such heights for me, and my patience with them is typically thin. The story of the film has more to it than people give it credit for but the cinematography, score and fight choreography are really what make this film click as well as it does. It’s a great adrenaline rush.

The First Annual Neutron Star Award

Posted on January 1, 2013 by bernardovillela

The Neutron Star Award

2012 Honoree

Vincent Price

As tends to be the case when I’m breaking out a new honor (e.g. The Ingmar Bergman Lifetime Achievement Award or the Robert Downey, Jr. Award for Entertainer of the Year), my initial write-up about it will be fairly short.

OK, so what is the Neutron Star Award? As I watched older selections through the year, I was frequently compelled to pick a film based on the fact that Vincent Price was in it. When I was younger I was very actor-oriented, more so than with directors. The fact that an actor had that kind of draw, and was one who is sadly no longer with us, made me think there had to be some kind of way I could honor them.

So I thought literally about stars, and being a nerd I confirmed that a neutron star fits the definition of a star that has gone out but glows more brightly after its passing.

Which brings me back to Price. If you look at my older films list this year you’ll find Vincent Price all over it. He was not only a talent, and not only elevated works he took part in, but in a way elevated the entire horror genre; in large part because of the horror icons he arguably was the longest-lasting and most identified with it. Christopher Lee, for example, has for years been synonymous with other kinds of films, but once Price got his foothold it was nearly his sole dominion.

I fight Netflix indecisiveness so anyone that great that makes me say “Oh, he’s in it? Good enough for me.” Is certainly worthy of some honor.

I truly like this idea and I hope it acts as another incentive to discover and get to know other actors’ filmographies in the future.

BAM Awards: Best Actress Winners

Posted on January 1, 2013 by bernardovillela

The Best Actress category has been subjected to some revisionist history in the past due in part to both teenage and post-teenage angst. Rather than re-assess everything all over again, especially in 1996 where I made several changes in the past, I will leave well enough alone. Any award whether awarded by an individual or an organization is rather like a time capsule and re-examination is futile. One always has a chance to make a Best of Decade or Performance in Genre or Subgenre list down the road and then there is the Test of Time, which is the ultimate. In the end when assessing my feelings and making decisions I never take into consideration “What will I think of this film/performer in five or ten years?” and just have to go with my gut.

One more minor note: in listing my nominees annually I have frequently listed Best Actress closer to Best Picture than Best Actor to try as a very minor political statement regarding sexism.

Without any further ado, the Best Actress winners:

2023 Sandra Hüller Anatomy of a Fall

2022 Michelle Yeoh Everything Everywhere All At Once

2021 Peri Baumeister Blood Red Sky

2020 Maria Baklova Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm

2019 Lupita Nyong’o Us

2018 Toni Collette Hereditary

2017 Sally Hawkins The Shape of Water

2016 Sonia Braga Aquarius

2015 Julianne Moore Still Alice

2014 Charlotte Gainsbourg Nymphomaniac: Volume II

Nymphomaniac: Volume II (2014, IFC Films)

2013 Cate Blanchett Blue Jasmine

Blue Jasmine (2013, Sony Pictures Classics)

2012 Keira Knightley Anna Karenina

2011 Elizabeth Olsen Martha Marcy May Marlene

2010 Emma Stone Easy A

2009 Michelle Monaghan Trucker

2008 Marion Cotillard La Vie en Rose (La Môme)

Marion Cotillard in La Vie en Rose (La Môme) (2007)

2007 Cate Blanchett Notes on a Scandal

Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench in Notes on a Scandal (2006)

2006 Felicity Huffman Transamerica

2005 Julia Dufvenius Saraband

2004 Heather Smith Unscrewed

2003 Nicole Kidman The Hours

2002 Isabelle Huppert The Piano Teacher (La Pianiste)

2001 Melanie Griffith Cecil B. Demented

2000 Jessica Lange Titus

1999 Jessica Lange Cousin Bette

1998 Fernanda Montenegro Central Station (Central do Brasil)

Central Station (1998, Sony Pictures Classics)

1997 Jodie Foster Contact

1996 Reese Witherspoon Freeway

BAM Award Winners: Best Director

Posted on January 1, 2013 by bernardovillela

So both here and in Best Cast there was some revisionism over the years, however, rather than try and readjust things I’ll just let things stand where they are at current.

The Best Director category is an interesting one because it is usually, in the mind of many, inextricably tied to the Best Picture winner. There is a certain logic to that, however, they are two rather different awards when you boil it down. In Best Picture you pick the story and the production. In Best Director you are picking a visionary and the architect of a production. There are times when the direction of a film will outshine its narrative or overall impact or a story that is wonderful but handled with a rather invisible hand that allows splits to occur.

I have six such splits in 1997, 1998, 2005, 2012, 2015, 2020 and 2022 none of which I was hesitant at all about.

2023 Lukas Dhont Close

2022 Steven Spielberg The Fabelmans

2021 Jason Reitman Ghostbusters: Afterlife

2020 Sam Mendes 1917

2019 Jordan Peele Us

2018 Bo Burnham Eighth Grade

2017 Andy Muschietti It

2016 Gareth Edwards Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

2015 George Miller Mad Max: Fury Road

Mad-Max-Fury-Road-Tom-Hardy-George-Miller

2014 Daniel Ribeiro The Way He Looks

The Way He Looks (2014, Strand Releasing)

2013 Gavin Hood Ender’s Game

2012 Bela Tarr The Turin Horse

2011 Martin Scorsese Hugo

2010 Christopher Nolan Inception

2009 Spike Jonze Where the Wild Things Are

Where the Wild Things Are (2009, Warner Bros.)

2008 Tomas Alfredson Let the Right One In

2007 Timur Bekmambetov Day Watch (Dnevoy bazar)

2006 Richard E. Grant Wah-Wah

Richard E. Grant's "The Wah-Wah Diaries"

2005 Ingmar Bergman Saraband

Ingmar Bergman on the set of *Saraband* (Sony Pictures Classics)

2004 Jacob Aaron Estes Mean Creek

2003 PJ Hogan Peter Pan

2002 George Lucas Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones

2001 Steven Spielberg Artificial Intelligence: A.I.

2000 Julie Taymor Titus

JULIE TAYMOR PRESENTS BOOK OF HER FILM 'TITUS'

1999 M. Night Shyamalan The Sixth Sense

M. Night Shyamalan on the set of *The Sixth Sense* (Hollywood Pictures)

1998 Steven Spielberg Saving Private Ryan

1997 Neil Mandt Hijacking Hollywood

1996 Lee Tamahori Mulholland Falls

BAM Awards: Best Picture Winners

Posted on January 1, 2013 by bernardovillela

Here is the first of a series of articles in which I hope to chronicle, once and for all, the winners of my own personal film awards, the BAM Awards. I may not be able to ever post everyone I ever nominated as my record keeping has been faulty and fragmentary but I hope I can at least try to re-post all my winners and give them their due.

I created the BAM Awards when I was 15 as a reaction to the fact that many films, performances and so on that I liked were overlooked by major awards. At the time I didn’t know of top 10 lists and the like so I went full boar and much further than most. Later I tried to retroactively create BAMs all the way back to 1981 and earlier, however, for now I will confine myself to the “Live Era,” wherein I chose my favorites at the end of every year so most, if not all lists will begin in 1996.

Without further ado, the best picture winners (sans commentary by me) in reverse chronological order:

2023 Close

2022 Crimes of the Future

2021 Ghostbusters: Afterlife

2020 Abe

2019 Us

2018 Eighth Grade

2017 It

2016 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

2015 Krampus

2014 The Way He Looks

2013 Ender’s Game

2012 Django Unchained

Django Unchained (2012, The Weinstein Company)

2011 Hugo

2010 Inception

2009 Where the Wild Things Are

2008 Let the Right One In (Låt den rätte komma in)

2007 Day Watch

2006 Wah-Wah

Wah Wah ( 2006, Roadside Attractions/Samuel Goldwyn Films)

2005 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe (2005, Disney)

2004 Mean Creek

2003 Peter Pan

2002 Star Wars: Episode II- Attack of the Clones

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002, 20th Century Fox)

2001 Artificial Intelligence: A.I.

Artificial Intelligence: A.I. (2001, DreamWorks)

2000 Titus

1999 The Sixth Sense

The Sixth Sense (1999, Touchstone Pictures)

1998 Central Station (Central do Brasil)

1997 Sling Blade

1996 Mulholland Falls

BAM Award Winners: Best Foreign Film

Posted on January 1, 2013 by bernardovillela

This is likely to be one of if the most infrequently awarded category on these lists. Typically when a category is adopted it sticks and returns every year in one shape or form. As you will see below this category came into being and then took a long hiatus. There are a few reasons for this:

First, initially it was omitted as a somewhat reactionary decision against the jingoistic nature of the Best Foreign (Language) Film category in general. The category, at least in the United States, presupposes that a foreign film cannot be named Best Picture. Whereas in Europe many national film awards are open to all comers and have indigenous categories to ensure their own win some trophies. There is also the fact that must be considered that foreign films have won many BAM Awards even in the live era from Best Actress to Best Picture on three occasions and others.

Overall, I have a balanced world view, I believe. I neither automatically assume a foreign language film is superior to American indies or Hollywood blockbusters or vice versa.

When you combine that with the fact that in many years I have not been fortunate enough to see enough foreign films to qualify the category this explains the infrequency of the award. However, I intend to qualify it from here on out and to award it annually because the flip side of the philosophical coin is that it awards a film that would otherwise be shutout or unrecognized as it did last year and does serve a function in that instance.

2023 Close