Top 10 films of 2012

     1.    End of Watch - Probably wouldn’t make most people’s top ten but as I have only seen 12 films this year it does but it is also a powerful film; hugely emotional, constantly hilarious and thrilling. And the found footage format partially succeeds; no other film affected me as much this year.

     2.    Argo – A great mix of Hollywood satire, comedy, hostage thriller and deep political drama; a homerun for Affleck

     3.    The Cabin in the Woods - Easily the most inventive narrative since Pulp Fiction with a hugely satisfying series of twists that raises it above most films any year.

     4.   Life of Pi – A spiritual journey with the best images of the year.  

     5.    Looper- a strong sci-fi effort by Rian Johnson that tackles interesting debates on time travel.

     6.     Skyfall – The best Bond film since the Roger Moore era that is at once a classic 60’s Connery entry whilst also a darker, modern turn that the other Craig film’s never quite captured in tone such as this one.

     7.    The Hunger Games – Entertaining on its own without carrying the weight of a book.

     8.    Miss Bala – A well-acted and surprising suspenseful gangland drama.

     9.    The Hobbit – A refreshing dose of Tolkien adapted by Peter Jackson with a smaller, lighter touch counterpointing The Lord of the Rings trilogy nicely.

  

   10.   Prometheus – Despite the plot and mythology issues it’s an atmospheric and cinematographically visceral horror film that proves why Scott is a master film maker.

Films to See #4 Life of Pi

 Life of Pi is a tour de force of cinematic technique and Ang Lee is its main star. In this adaption of the popular 2001 best seller written by Canadian Yann Martel we follow Piscine Molitor Patel, also known as Pi for his ability to memorise the infinitely long number, as his multi-faith beliefs are tested against the savagery of the ocean, the grief of losing his family and the tense standoff with a large, Bengal tiger.

 Suraj Sharma does well for a non-actor though sometimes his lines have an unintended humour possibly from his accent and maybe there would have more weightiness if he spoke in his natural Hindi, though this would not contain Martel’s words and would most likely infuriate the book’s legions of fans. But while he can be funny he can also play the emotion very well particularly his feeling of guilt towards leaving his family behind and his developing kinship with Richard Parker; a hugely expressive Bengal tiger.

 It is the tiger, Richard Parker, who is the lead actor in many ways; the stunning visual effects team have created an amazing creature. Using a real tiger seamlessly with their vibrant FX creation means we can see Richard Parker’s facial expressions as well as his slender body as it shuffles in its elegant walk. One moment that stands out is when the boat fills with water and the expression of fear on Parker’s face is even more animated than the human lead.

 But most credit must lie with Ang Lee, who has created an exquisitely beautiful film. Every frame bathed in colourful, fluid imagery almost visual poetry in shots of a boat floating in the stars, a clear ocean mirroring the vanilla skies above or a solemn tiger staring into the abyss.  Irfan Khan’s performance is utterly absorbing drawing you into this humble tale of God and faith but in a fresh way. Lee is the perfect director to use the 3D technology to create a spiritual journey creating dreamlike sequences where at one point we even enter Richard Parker’s conscience. Lee has made the most thought provoking film of recent years and it doesn’t look too bad either.

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