My lovely friend Rach, who recently asked me to compile a list of
the best Skins moments, has set me
another challenge – what are my favourite movies of 2012. As 2012 is not yet
over, I know it’s almost the end but The
Hobbit is coming out and that will hopefully make it’s way into any 2012
lists, it’s not a definitive list… but it’s the best I can do at the moment.
Number 5: The Hunger Games
It’s always hard when one of your favourite books is turned into a
movie because half of you is so excited it hurts but the other half knows there
is no way it can ever possibly live up to your expectations. This is especially
true when the book has only recently become popular. I felt sure, when they
announced they were making a movie of Suzanne Collins epic YA novel, that it
was way too soon for them to be able to do it right so I wasn’t really
expecting much when this film was finally released.
The Hunger Games turned out to be almost everything I wanted from an adaptation of
his heartbreaking novel. Sure it was bit clean and I would have liked a little
more violence, but I understand why they wanted to keep the PG rating. While much
of the films success comes down to the casting of Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss,
her performance is breathtaking, the film itself is generally really well done
and well worth a watch even if you’re not a fan of the novels.
Number 4: The Sapphires
This is my number one feel good happy film of the year. It’s got
music, it’s got romance and it’s even got some depth, this is one of the best
(and definitely my favourite) Australian films in recent years. It’s just, you
really don’t see a lot of stories about indigenous Australians let alone ones
that don’t make you want to cut your heart out by the end, so it’s really
lovely to see a film like this one. The
Sapphires doesn’t ignore real issues but it doesn’t focus on them either.
It is, above everything else, a story about people and that’s something that is
often forgotten in films about minorities.
I know those of your outside of Aus have probably not heard about The Sapphires, but I urge you to ask
around and see if it’s getting a release anywhere near you because you wont
regret it. There is even some war for those of you that aren’t a fan of the
romance side of things. Plus the music is awesome, and who doesn’t love a movie
with awesome music?
Number 3: The Cabin in the Woods
I was waiting for this film for far too long, we all were, and while
I am still a little resentful about that, The
Cabin in the Woods is well worth the wait. I don’t want to say to much
about this film because the less you know the better it is… on a side note do
you know how hard it is to stay spoiler free on the Internet? It’s really hard
and it makes me curse the fact that I live at the arse end of the earth because
sometimes it takes too bloody longs for things to get here.
While I happen to have a strange addiction to trashy horror films,
so this movie was right up my ally, I’m pretty sure, even if you’re not a fan
of this genre, you will enjoy this film. Hell I watched it with my mum, she loved
it and she hates horror movies… like really hates them. It’s clever, witty and
very Joss Whedon but it’s also got all those awesome shock moments that make
horror movies so much fun. Trust me it’s not what you think, just watch it.
Number 2: The Perks of Being a
Wallflower
The second adaptation of a book on this list but if you think I was
worried about The Hunger Games it was
nothing to how I felt when I heard they were making The Perks of Being a Wallflower into a film. This is THE book for
my generation, anyone that was a little bit of a misfit in high school during
the early 2000s read this book and it changed their world. It’s that book you
know, the one that you read at that impressionable age and it impacts you in
such a way that you spend your life quoting it and fall in love with anyone
else that has read it… and that’s not really something that generally
translates well to film.
Then I found out that Stephen Chbosky (who wrote the novel) was
writing and directing the film… this is something that hardly ever works but in
this case it really did. Add to that the perfect casting of Logan Lerman, Emma
Watson and Ezra Miller and you have one of the best teen films I have ever
seen. It somehow manages to encompass Charlie’s (the main character and
narrator) unique voice and it presents this quirky yet heartbreaking story beautifully.
I was a complete mess by the end of this film (something that happens every
time I read this book) and that’s all I wanted from this movie.
Number 1: The Avengers
Talk about movies that should never have been able to live up to
their expectations, The Avengers was
possibly the most anticipated movie ever. Not only is it the superhero movie of
superhero movies but it was also coming off the an incredibly successful run of
Marvel movies and it was written and directed by none other than the god of
geeks himself, Joss Whedon. There no way this movie should have been able to
meet the mountain of hype that preceded it, but somehow it did.
This film was everything I ever wanted from The Avengers movie and more. It uses it’s large cast (which was no
doubt full of egos) in such a way that no one feels left out yet the film
doesn’t feel long or drawn out. Every moment has its place, there is no boring
filler, and the action sequences are seriously awe-inspiring. It’s also the
most quotable movie of the year, and I’m pretty sure we’re going to be hearing
the many one-liners for years to come. Seriously though I love this movie so
much that I want to melt it down and inject it directly into my veins.
That’s it Rach, and everyone else reading, those are my five
favourite films of the year. Do you agree? Or am I completely mistaken? I want
to know what you’re favourite films were?
Now I just have to sit and wait for The Hobbit to come out and my year will be complete.
