In the middle of the christmas hoopla, I found a surprisingly large amount of time for movies. At 30 films seen, December is probably my most intense month of the year cinematically speaking. Surprising indeed. There was a lot of good stuff, and little that was outright bad, so it’s a good slew of movies to close out the year with.
American Reunion (Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg, 2012)
Well, it’s better than the last four straight-to-DVD American Pie films. Not that that’s saying much. The nostalgia factor is what makes American Reunion work, in two ways. First, by having the audience remember the first parts of the series, and then by having a fondness for the old times be a centerpiece of the plot as well. It’s a good thing this is handled effectively, because the actual humor is often derivative, and while there are certainly some laughs to be had here, they don’t always hit the mark. If this is the end of the series, it’s a respectable way to close the doors, at least. Except there’s reportedly another film being planned, so I guess not. God damn it.
3/5
The Grey (Joe Carnahan, 2011)
What a terrific survival film. All the visceral elements were extraordinarily well done. I felt the plane crash. I felt the snow. I felt the cold water. And then there’s the wolves, who are as menacing as any movie monster I’ve seen in recent memory (except maybe the shark in Jaws.) Add in the spiritual elements of the story, and you have one great awesome package of a film. I mean, hell, it made me spontaneously applaud in my couch. That never happens.
5/5
Silent Night (Steven C. Miller, 2012)
Malcolm McDowell is really funny here in an Alan Rickman Sheriff of Nottingham way, where it seems like he’s not even part of the same movie as everyone else. Unfortunately, the rest of the film is weak humdrum slasher stuff. Skip this one.
2/5
Harry Brown (Daniel Barber, 2009)
Gran Torino‘s story in Attack the Block‘s setting, only with the violence ramped way up and with Michael Caine in the lead. This is certainly to oversimplify things, obviously, but it should give you some idea of what the film’s about. While the subject of a retiree turning vigilante is a field ripe for social commentary, there’s nothing done along these lines. No, this is a bloody revenge thriller through and through, and as such, it works really well. Caine is great, and it’s a treat to see him in a lead role these days.
4/5
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Tags: A Good Old Fashioned Orgy, Alex Gregory, Alexandre Rockwell, Allison Anders, American Beauty, American Reunion, Andy Serkis, Ashley Judd, Attack the Block, Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey, Big Trouble in Little China, Blues Brothers 2000, Bug, Constance Marks, Dan Aykroyd, Daniel Barber, Daniel Espinosa, Deadgirl, Easy Money, Eli Craig, Emily Browning, Espen Sandberg, Fast Five, First Snow, Four Rooms, Franck Khalfoun, Gadi Harel, Garrett Hedlund, Good Will Hunting, Gran Torino, Grosse Pointe Blank, Guy Pearce, Harry Brown, Hayden Schlossberg, Heckler, Indie Game: The Movie, James Swirsky, Jamie Kennedy, Jaws, Jeff Nichols, Jessica Chastain, Joachim Rønning, Joan Cusack, Joe Carnahan, John Belushi, John Carpenter, John Cusack, John Goodman, John Landis, Jon Hurwitz, Julia Leigh, Justin Lin, Kevin Clash, Kon-Tiki, Kristen Stewart, Lauren Greenfield, Lisanne Pajot, Malcolm McDowell, Manhattan, Marcel Sarmiento, Mark Fergus, Michael Addis, Michael Caine, Michael Channon, Michael Winterbottom, Midnight in Paris, Minni Driver, On the Road, P2, Peter Huyck, Peter Jackson, Quentin Tarantino, Rachel Nichols, Rob Brydon, Robert Rodriguez, Robin Williams, Sam Riley, Sarah Polley, Senna, Seth Rogen, Silent Night, Sleeping Beauty, Snabba cash, Son of the Mask, Steve Coogan, Steven C Miller, Take Shelter, Take This Waltz, The Blues Brothers, The Grey, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Queen of Versailles, The Rock, The Thing, The Trip, Tim Roth, Tristram Shandy: A Cock and Bull Story, Tucker and Dale vs Evil, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Vin Diesel, Walter Salles, War Inc, Wes Bentley, Willian Friedkin, Woody Allen
With 2012 drawing to an end, it’s time for my second annual year end awards. Just like last year, I have not had time to fully delve into all the films released this year to the degree I would like to, so I once again focus on what I saw this year, no matter when it was released.
Thus, I’m happy to present A Swede Talks Movies’ The Films I Watched In 2012 Awards!
I saw 204 movies this year (not counting rewatches), which is a slight step down from last year’s 229. This is fine, and expected. In matters not movie-related, this year was busier than the last one for me. I still got a lot of good watching done, knocking off some long-standing entries from my List of Shame, starting to explore new directors like Buster Keaton and Ingmar Bergman, venturing into Iranian cinema for the first time, and much more.
So without further ado, here are some random silly highly prestigious categories, and their respective victors!
Best Beatdown of a Puny God Award
Winner: The Avengers
I’m sure mine wasn’t the only theater in the world to erupt with laughter when Hulk went to town on Loki. I could hardly breathe myself due to laughing so hard. Unexpected, brutal, and hilarious. Surely one of the greatest moments in 2012 film.
Walken Award for Best Show-Stealing Performance In A Bad Film
Winner: Malcolm McDowell – Silent Night
Silent Night was quite the run-of-the-mill slasher flick, with nothing remarkable taking place throughout its running time. Nothing, that is, except for Malcolm McDowell as grumpy and in-charge Sheriff James Cooper. He is wildly off-key compared to the rest of the cast, chewing the scenery at every turn, and the writers seem to have expected this, as they’ve given him way funnier lines than anyone else in the film. “Big mistake: bringing a flamethrower to a gun fight!” If there is a reason to see the movie – and to be perfectly frank, there isn’t really – it’s McDowell.
Best Film That I Should Have Seen A Long Time Ago Award
Winner: Goodfellas
Runner-up: Jaws
I would say that Goodfellas and Jaws are the two movies I’ve gotten the most “You haven’t seen that one!?” comments about these last few years. It feels good to have finally gotten around to them, especially since both turned out to be pretty great films. Goodfellas is the richer of the two in my eyes, but it’s a close call. Prediction: If this category returns next year, I’d say Schindler’s List might be a potential frontrunner.
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Tags: American Pie Presents: The Book of Love, American Reunion, An American Werewolf in London, Äta Sova Dö, Beetlejuice, Bibi Andersson, Bug, Buster Keaton, Chris O'Dowd, Clean Shaven, Dean Lennox Kelly, Dolph Lundgren, Eat Sleep Die, Fast Times as Ridgemont High, Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel, Gabriela Pichler, George Clooney, Goodfellas, Guy Pearce, Hunger, In the Name of the King 2: Two Worlds, Ingmar Bergman, Jaws, Jennifer Lopez, John Cusack, Liam Cunningham, Liv Ullman, Lockout, Lorraine Bracco, Made, Malcolm McDowell, Marc Wootton, Martin Scorsese, Michael Fassbender, Nicolas Cage, Out of Sight, Persona, Peter Greene, Pleasantville, Ray Liotta, Rock of Ages, Schindler's List, Shannyn Sossamon, Silent Night, Sven Nykvist, The Avengers, The Birds, The Day, The Devil's Rejects, The Grey, The Matrix, The Prophecy II, The Queen of Versailles, The Raven, The Remains of the Day, Tom Cruise, Vince Vaughn, Withnail & I