Micahlogue

2012 is looking to be one of the best years for film in a very long time. I’m guessing I’ll spend a ridiculous amount of money in the theater this year. There’s many other movies other than these 10 that I’m really looking forward to as well. But here are the 10 I’m most excited to see so far. I’ll be interested to look back at this list this time next year and see how many made it in to my top 10 favorite of the year. We will see. 

1. The Dark Knight Rises - This one was a no brainer. Christopher Nolan is back to finish what he started with Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. I’m happy the marketing is making it abundantly clear that this is the end of this particular Batman franchise. I have complete faith that Nolan is gonna wrap the whole thing up beautifully, and we will have one of the best trilogies in the history of film on our hands. 

2. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - The Lord of the Rings Trilogy are some of my favorite movies ever. They are just masterpieces all around, and on such an epic scale. I always hoped Jackson would go back and make The Hobbit. He did, and December couldn’t come soon enough.

3. Moonrise Kingdom - I know quite a few people who have already written this movie off simply because it looks so “Wes Anderson”. Well I couldn’t be more happy with that. I adore every one of Anderson’s movies. He’s one of my top 5 favorite directors, and this movie looks like it showcases all of those things I love about Anderson and then some. Bring it on Wes. Do your thing.

4. Prometheus - Ridley Scott has been pretty hit or miss as of late. What better to restore our faith in him than to revisit the genre that first proved to us his brilliance in the first place. After watching the first trailer I am sold. It looks like he more than nailed it. I can’t freaking wait!

5. Django Unchained - Tarantino is another favorite of mine, cliche as that might be. I’ve always thought he should just do his own spaghetti western, and it looks like he heard my prayers. I honestly think Tarantino is getting better with every movie. He’s going to knock this one out of the park and he’s got Leonardo DiCaprio to help him do it.

6. Brave - Let’s just pretend Pixar took a year off. It was a difficult 2011 not having any Pixar eye candy to ogle over. The wait is nearly over however, and Brave looks more than worthy to carry the Pixar banner. 

7. Looper - Rian Johnson first 2 movies are 2 of my favorite movies. I can’t wait to see if my love for him grows with his 3rd. Time travel, bruce willis, and joseph gordon-levitt sounds like a winning combination to me.

8. Gravity - Children of Men is in my top 5 favorite movies ever. Cuaron hasn’t really done anything since. From what I hear Gravity, which stars George Clooney, is going to be pretty ground-breaking as far as camera work and special effects go. I would expect nothing less from another Cuaron and Lubeski collaboration. If this movie is great Cuaron could easily knock a director out of my top 5.

9. Untitled P.T. Anderson Movie - Everything Paul Thomas Anderson touches turns to gold. So to hear that he’s making a movie that partners him back up with Philip Seymour-Hoffman as the lead…well I just couldn’t be more thrilled.

10. Skyfall - I have been a bond fanatic since I was a young kid and I’d watch the Bond marathon on TNT with my dad. My love for 007 has only grown as an adult, especially with Daniel Craig taking on the tuxedo. So when I heard that one of my favorite Directors Sam Mendes was taking on the next Craig Bond with Javier Bardem as a villain I about crapped my pants. I’ve never been more excited for a Bond movie in my life. This can’t come soon enough.

1. The Tree of Life - Almost 2 years ago something amazing happened. My older brother Luke made me sit down with him one afternoon in his home theater and watch Terrence Malick’s “Days of Heaven” which he had just recently purchased on blu ray. This movie was unlike anything I’d ever seen before. The narration, the cinematography, the pacing, it all felt fresh and new even though the movie was over 30 years old. I still have a difficult time putting it in to words but something about this specific film was unbelievably satisfying. It was like hearing Radiohead’s “OK Computer” for the first time all over again. Sometimes I feel as though Radiohead exists to create music just for me. Upon finishing “Days of Heaven” I felt as though maybe there was a director who existed to make films just for me. After watching “Badlands”, “The Thin Red Line” and revisiting “The New World” I decided that I had found my all-time favorite film-maker. “The Tree of Life” took my love for Terrence Malick’s directing to a whole different level. This movie leveled me. Everything about it struck a chord. I felt as if I was 11 years old again running through the back alleys of my small home town, listening to the neighbors conversations through their open windows. I didn’t just witness Jack’s loss of innocence, I felt it. Many people’s largest complaint about the film is the 30 minute long sequence where Malick shows us the creation of the universe. This part of the film made it all the more amazing to me. It put everything else in to perfect perspective. “The Tree of Life” isn’t told like your typical story. It isn’t straight forward. It isn’t easy, and it definitely isn’t for everyone. But at the same time, I think this movie is for “everyone”. It focuses on the every day subtle details, the nuances that are so easily forgotten. It helped me recognize how small I am in the big scheme of things, but also reminded me how significant we all are. It reminded me that grace is the one thing that makes us truly unique and fully human. It gave me hope that when we suffer we will find catharsis in solidarity. This is not only my favorite movie of the year, it may be my favorite movie of all time. I won’t stake that claim quite yet, but I feel like “The Tree of Life” will have no problem standing the test of time and that I’ll feel the same way about it 10, 20, 30 years from now. It’s just another Malick movie that I’m pretty sure he made with me in mind.

2. A Separation - A Separation was the only movie in 2011 that had even the slightest chance of taking my number 1 spot. I watched it only a few weeks ago. It’s still very fresh in my mind. Had I made this list a week ago it may have taken the number 1 spot. I’m glad I gave it a little bit more time settle. This is far better movie than any of the others I saw this year, but I doubt it will stick with me the way I’m sure “The Tree of Life” will. A Separation’s brilliance comes mostly from it’s script, and it’s complimented beautifully by it’s flawless acting and directing. I actually think it deserved an Oscar for best original screenplay over “Midnight in Paris”, but I’m not complaining. I can’t begin to imagine how to write something so simple, yet so unbelievably complex. In many ways we as Americans couldn’t be further removed from the cultural landscape in which this movie takes place, but for some reason it’s still completely relatable, and I think anyone who watches this movie will find themselves sympathizing with the characters and their frustrating predicament. I think that’s because this movie isn’t really about tradition or a specific culture. It’s about how our decision’s affect everyone around us, and that everyone has a story to tell and is coming from “somewhere”. 

3. Drive - Drive is perfect in my eyes. I remember my friend Christian saying that when he finished Drive he wished he had made it. I felt the same. There are a lot of great directors out there, but Nicolas Winding Refn is a breathe of fresh air. Drive is flawlessly paced. It’s patient and quiet. It’s a movie that boils, and when the pot finally overflows it’s incredibly satisfying. This is true not only of the action but also of the love story. Ryan Gosling and Carey Mulligan have some of the best chemistry to grace the screen in 2011. While some people complained about their lack of dialogue, it made their relationship all the more real to me. I love when I get done with a movie and I don’t feel like I’ve been manipulated. Drive knows exactly what it is and doesn’t apologize for it. 

4. Beginners - Beginner’s is one of those movies that probably wouldn’t ever make it to my Best Movie’s Ever Made list, but would easily make it in to my Favorite Movies Ever Made list. Most movies on my “Favorites” list leave me feeling pretty much the same as soon as the credits roll; they all make me want to start the movie over and watch it again right away. Beginners is no exception. Strangely enough, I’ve only seen it once. I intend to fix that ASAP. I have no doubt that Ewan McGregor’s relationship with Christopher Plummer, his dog, and Melanie Laurent will be just as charming and poignant as it was the first time around, and every time after.  I highly recommend this movie.

5. Martha Marcy May Marlene - This movie has all the makings of my favorite kinds of movies. It’s beautifully shot, slowly paced, there’s little to no exposition, but something really strange is happening just under the surface. The one thing that is unique about this film is that while it’s all of those things, it’s also freaking terrifying. I was creeped out for days after watching this movie. If I was ever going to make a thriller, I would want to do it like this. This movie get’s my favorite editing of the year award. The story is cut together in such a way that you can’t help but get lost in Martha’s creepy world. Her past and present weave in and out of each other. It’s incredibly effective. It gives you a sense of paranoia right along with her. And while it is super creepy and cringe-inducing, it never overshadows the fact that this movie is beautifully shot and brilliantly acted. Elizabeth Olsen nails her performance, and John Hawkes is solid as always. And the ending is just perfect.

6. Take Shelter - This was definitely a year for suspenseful movies. I was on the edge of my seat for the good majority of Take Shelter. This movie really struck a chord with me due to where it takes place. I felt as if this movie could have been filmed in any of the small towns around where I grew up. Beyond that, Michael Shannon’s performance is incredible. I found myself going back and forth in my mind, trying to decide if I would have faith in his character or not, as if he was a close friend or family member. 

7. Moneyball - I love movies (obviously). I love baseball. I love movies about baseball. This is probably the best movie I’ve ever seen about baseball. There’s not really even that much actual baseball in this movie. There is however a lot of amazing dialogue about baseball. Thanks Aaron Sorkin. This movie is also really easy on the eyes. Thanks Wally Pfister. Obviously Brad Pitt and Philip Seymour Hoffman are solid. And I actually really like Jonah Hill as well. There wasn’t really anything about this movie not to like. But I didn’t just like it, I loved it. 

8. Midnight in Paris - Another film that will definitely make its way on to my favorites list. I saw this movie not long after it came out, and Heather and I just watched it for a second time the other night. Everything about this movie is just delightful. I love Woody Allen, and most of the time I hate watching people do impressions of him when he isn’t in his movies. Owen Wilson however, knocked it out of the park. He was the perfect Woody surrogate pretty much because you forget that he’s a Woody surrogate. I’ve always wanted to go to Paris, but thanks to this film now I’m kind of obsessed with it. Thank God I get to go there this summer.

9. The Muppets - I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun watching a movie. My face hurt from smiling once it ended. I have a deep appreciation for The Muppets thanks to my older brother. This appreciation made me very nervous that they were gonna screw it up. There’s nothing more frustrating than watching something you adore get butchered. Luckily I was wrong. This movie really is an accomplishment. The Muppets were on the verge of being forgotten by entire generations but somehow Jason Segel and Nick Stoller pulled it off and proved to all the nay sayers that The Muppets are timeless. This movie was just darn perfect. I can’t wait for another one.

10. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Tomas Alfredson blew me away a few years ago with his “Let The Right One In”. I was so impressed with that movie that I couldn’t wait for his next. When I heard that his next movie was going to be a cold war-era spy thriller starring Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, and Colin Firth I began counting down the days til it’s release. I was enthralled by this movie. I’ll admit it wasn’t the easiest movie to understand, especially upon the first viewing, but that’s what makes these kinds of movies so fun. Throw in some beautiful cinematography, unbelievable acting by the always amazing Gary Oldman, and you have a recipe for success (at least when it comes to my sensibilities). I can’t wait to dive in to this movie time and time again and find something new and exciting with each viewing.

Honorable Mention (in no particular order) - These are just a few more of the movies that I absolutely loved this year. I had a lot of fun going to the movies this year. Movies like Mission: Impossible, Super 8, Tin Tin, and Rise of the Planet of the Apes reminded me what it’s like to go to the movies and just have a blast, while movies like The Artist and Hugo strengthened my love and appreciation for cinema’s rich history. 2012 is looking to be another great year for movies as well. I’ll have my list of my most anticipated films of 2012 up in a few days.  

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Hugo

50/50

The Flowers of War

Tin Tin

Rango

The Artist

The Descendants

Attack the Block

Carnage

Super 8

A Dangerous Method

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

The Help

Contagion